Academic Integrity Policies

The honor code supports honest exploration and thoughtful contemplation of all ideas in an environment of honesty and trust. As such, students are to refrain from lying, cheating, stealing or violating another’s intellectual property, plagiarism, or facilitation of another’s academic violation. To be clear about what academic behavior is unacceptable, Elon University has identified prohibited conduct and examples that clarify components of the behaviors. . Violations of these prohibited conduct policies may result in the lowering of an assignment grade, lowering of a course grade, or assigning a failing grade for the course (including an Honor Code F). Multiple or egregious violations of academic integrity policies may result in disciplinary suspension or permanent separation from Elon University.

Elon students who witness an academic violation are expected to report the violation to the faculty member, along with any information to substantiate their charge. The form and instructions for reporting an academic policy violation can be found on the Student Conduct website: https://www.elon.edu/u/student-conduct/resources-for-facstaff/ 

Cheating

The possession, receipt, use or solicitation of unauthorized materials, information, notes, study aids or other devices in any academic exercise. This prohibited conduct includes unauthorized communication of information before, during and after an academic exercise.

Examples: This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Copying from another student’s paper or test or receiving any unauthorized assistance on any assignment or exam.
• Possessing, buying, selling, removing, receiving or using at any time or in any manner not previously authorized by the instructor a partial or complete copy of any exam or other materials intended to be used as an instrument of evaluation in advance of their administration.
• Using any material or equipment not authorized by the instructor during a test or other academic evaluation.
• Attempting to influence or change an academic evaluation, grade or record by deceit or unfair means, such as (1) damaging the work of another student to gain an unfair advantage (2) marking or submitting an exam or other assignment in an attempt to deceive the grading system.
• Submitting, without prior permission, the same academic work that has been submitted in identical or similar form in another class in fulfillment of any other academic requirement at the university.
• Permitting another person to substitute for one’s self for any type of academic evaluation.
• Gaining an unfair advantage on any assignment by destroying, hiding or unauthorized removal of materials intended for the use of all (library resources, etc.).
• Collaborating with another person on projects, processes and/or papers where such collaboration has been forbidden by the instructor.

Outcomes

Course related response – sanctions related to the course in which the violation occurred, including the course grade with an optional “honor code F”, will be assigned by the professor.

Institutional response – Academic censure; possible educational requirement. Sanctions resulting from egregious or multiple Code of Conduct violations will be determined by the assistant provost for communications and operations assistant provost for communications and operations. These sanctions may include disciplinary probation, disciplinary suspension or permanent separation from the University.

Facilitating Academic Dishonesty

Aiding or attempting to aid another person commit an act of academic dishonesty.

Examples: This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Providing assistance to another during an exam or on another assignment in a manner not authorized by the instructor.
• Acting as a substitute for another in any type of academic violation.
• Providing specific information about a recently given test, exam or other assignment to another student who thereby gains an unfair advantage in an academic evaluation.
• Permitting one’s academic work to be represented as the work of another, including allowing another student to copy one’s work to submit for a grade.
• Preparing for sale, barter or loan to another such items as unauthorized papers, notes, abstracts of lectures or readings.

Outcomes

Course related response – sanctions related to the course in which the violation occurred, including the course grade with an optional “honor code F”, will be assigned by the professor.

Institutional response – Academic censure; possible educational requirement. Outcomes resulting from egregious or multiple Code of Conduct violations will be determined by the assistant provost for communications and operations assistant provost for communications and operations. These outcomes may include disciplinary probation, disciplinary suspension or permanent separation from the University.

Lying/Fraud

Providing a statement, engaging in an action, or making a representation that is false, misrepresents the truth and/or is intended to deceive another. Examples: This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Making a false statement in an attempt to gain advantage or exception.
• Falsifying evidence or testifying falsely.
• Inventing or counterfeiting data, research results, research procedures, experiences or any other information.
• Citing a non-existent source or a source not actually consulted for referenced material/data.
• Altering any official academic record.
• Submitting a false excuse for absences.

Outcomes

Course related response – sanctions related to the course in which the violation occurred, including the course grade with an optional “Honor Code F”, will be assigned by the professor.

Institutional response – Academic censure; possible educational requirement. Outcomes resulting from egregious or multiple Code of Conduct violations will be determined by the assistant provost for communications and operations. These sanctions may include disciplinary probation, disciplinary suspension or permanent separation from the University.

Plagiarism

Presenting the work or ideas of another as one’s own (i.e. without proper acknowledgment of the source). The sole exception to the requirement of acknowledging sources is when the ideas or information are common knowledge. The way in which a student and/or researcher chooses to handle this point in particular has a direct bearing on the integrity of the community in which they operate. This point should therefore be given careful consideration when preparing any paper or doing any type of research. Every student must be thoroughly familiar with methods for documenting the use of another person’s sentences, arguments or ideas. When referring to another’s work, proper credit must be given to the source, even if one neither paraphrases nor quotes directly from that work. A footnote or an endnote should fully identify that source.

Examples: This includes, but is not limited to, failure to do the following:

• Direct quotation. Any direct quotation of any portion of any source must be placed in quotation marks and properly attributed to its author, using documentation in accordance with the requirements of the appropriate current style manuals. The following example, which uses MLA style (other styles may be used in different classes), shows how a direct quotation is properly acknowledged:
  • In her book titled The Subject of Semiotics, Kaja Silverman points out that “Madame Bovary places ... an insistent emphasis on the cultural sources from which ideal images derive – churches, schools, the marketplace, literature – [which] may help to clarify for us that ideal representations are always socially mediated.” (From Kaja Silverman, The Subject of Semiotics, New York: Oxford UP, 1983, p.161).
• Paraphrase. Prompt acknowledgment is required when material from any source is paraphrased or summarized in whole or in part in one’s own words. To acknowledge a paraphrase properly, one might state: “To paraphrase Locke’s comment...” or “According to Rousseau...,” and conclude with a citation identifying the exact reference.
• Attributing any ideas, research results, procedures or concepts not one’s own to the original source.

Outcomes

Course related response – sanctions related to the course in which the violation occurred, including the course grade with an optional “Honor Code F”, will be assigned by the professor.

Institutional response – Academic censure; possible educational requirement. Outcomes resulting from egregious or multiple Code of Conduct violations will be determined by the assistant provost for communications and operations. These outcomes may include disciplinary probation, disciplinary suspension or permanent separation from the University.

Stealing or Vandalism (Academic Policy)

Taking, attempting to take or withholding the property of another person or the university, thereby permanently or temporarily depriving the owner or other students of its use or possession.

Examples: These include, but are not limited to the following:

• Unauthorized removal or possession of library materials, examinations, computer programs, etc.
• Taking or possessing another’s academic work or materials without permission or proper credit.
• Defacing or destruction of academic property.

Outcomes

Course related response – sanctions related to the course in which the violation occurred, including the course grade with an optional “Honor Code F”, will be assigned by the professor.

Institutional response – Academic censure with notification letter to parents/guardians; possible educational requirement. Outcomes resulting from egregious or multiple Code of Conduct violations will be determined by the assistant provost for communications and operations. These outcomes may include disciplinary probation, disciplinary suspension or permanent separation from the University.