In professional ethics, the term for broad, foundational principles guiding behavior is Canons.

• A. Tenets
• B. Code of ethics
• C. Canons
• D. Standards of practice

Answer: (C)

Foundational principles that guide a professional’s conduct are canons. Canons serve as the high-level moral compass for behavior, shaping decisions across different situations and providing a broad framework for ethical reasoning. They’re general and overarching, which is why they’re used to describe the fundamental ideals that inform all other ethical requirements. A code of ethics, while related, is a formal document that spells out duties and values in more detail, often derived from those guiding principles. Standards of practice specify concrete procedures and performance criteria, not broad guiding beliefs. Tenets are general beliefs, but the established term for these overarching principles in professional ethics is canons.