Academic Integrity

Definitions and Examples of Academic Dishonesty

Cheating is the unauthorized use or attempted use of material, in- formation, notes, study aids, devices or communication during an academic exercise. The following are some examples of cheating, but by no means is it an exhaustive list:

• Copying from another student during an examination or allowing another to copy your work.
• Unauthorized collaboration on a take-home assignment or examination.
• Using notes during a closed book examination.
• Taking an examination for another student, or asking or al- lowing another student to take an examination for you.
• Changing a graded exam and returning it for more credit.
• Submitting substantial portions of the same paper to more than one course without consulting with each instructor.
• Preparing answers or writing notes in a blue book (exam booklet) before an examination.
• Allowing others to research and write assigned papers or do assigned projects, including use of commercial term paper services.
• Giving assistance to acts of academic misconduct/dishonesty.
• Fabricating data (all or in part).
• Submitting someone else’s work as your own.
• Unauthorized use during an examination of any electronic devices such as cell phones, palm pilots, computers or other technologies to retrieve or send information.

Plagiarism is the act of presenting another person’s ideas, research or writings as your own. The following are some examples of plagiarism, but by no means is it an exhaustive list:

• Copying another person’s actual words without the use of quotation marks and footnotes attributing the words to their source.
• Presenting another person’s ideas or theories in your own words without acknowledging the source.
• Using information that is not common knowledge without acknowledging the source.
• Failing to acknowledge collaborators on homework and laboratory assignments.

Internet Plagiarism

It includes submitting downloaded term papers or part of term papers, paraphrasing or copying information from the Internet without citing the source, and “cutting and pasting” from various sources without proper attribution.

Obtaining Unfair Advantage

It is any activity that intentionally or unintentionally gives a student an unfair advantage in his/her academic work over another student. The following are some examples of obtaining an unfair advantage, but by no means is it an exhaustive list:

• Stealing, reproducing, circulating or otherwise gaining advance access to examination materials.
• depriving other students of access to library materials, by stealing, destroying, defacing, or concealing them.
• Retaining, using or circulating examination materials, which clearly indicate that they should be returned at the end of the exam.
• Intentionally obstructing or interfering with another student’s work.

Falsification of Records and Official Documents

The following are some examples of falsification, but by no means is it an exhaustive list:

• Forging signatures of authorization.
• Falsifying information on an official academic record.
• Falsifying information on an official document such as a grade report, letter of permission, drop/add form, ID card or other college document.