ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

WHY CHEATING IS WRONG	WHAT  EXACTLY IS CHEATING	PENALTIES FOR CHEATING
HOW TO DOCUMENT CORRECTLY	HOW TO QUOTE, ETC. WITHOUT PLAGIARIZING	HOW TO GET ASSISTANCE WITHOUT CHEATING
	INFORMATION FOR FACULTY

In college, you are expected to do your own work on all assignments. Any assistance you get must be approved by your instructor, and you must make it clear when you use materials that someone else created.

Why should you do your own work?

· You must do your own work because the grade you receive in a college courses certifies that you know the material in the course. If you have not done the work yourself, your instructor can’t know whether you know the material or not.

· Also, your instructor needs to know whether material should be reviewed or taught differently because you don’t understand it, and won’t know this unless you show your understanding by doing your own work.

· Tests and homework are ways of learning the material in the course, so if you don’t do this work, you will not learn the material, and may receive a bad grade.

· Finally, cheating and plagiarism are wrong. To use someone else’s work without giving them credit is a way of stealing from them, and it is also a way of lying. back to top of page

What are cheating and plagiarizing?

· Cheating means using help that the instructor has not approved on tests, homework and other assignments. These are some of the things that are considered cheating and are not permitted:

o Copying another student’s work

o Bringing unauthorized notes or other material to a test in any form

o Talking to another student during a test (in person or by cell phone or pager)

o Using the internet for translation

o Opening the textbook or other book during a test without permission

o Getting help on homework without permission

· Plagiarism means cheating on written assignments by using words or ideas written by someone else without giving credit to that source. These are some of the forms of plagiarism that are not permitted:

o Copying material from another source (other students, friends, family, etc., books, or the internet without giving credit

o Using some words or ideas from someone else (or book or website) mixed with your own words or ideas, and not making clear which are yours and which are from a source. Learn more about this HERE (add link to Elena's material).

o Putting someone else’s ideas or facts in your words without giving credit

o Not documenting clearly to give credit to another source.

If you are given a writing assignment for ANY class, not just English, you should use MLA or APA documentation style to make your sources clear. Help with this is available in the Academic Success Center and HERE.   back to top of page

What happens if a student is caught cheating or plagiarizing?

· If your instructor has any reason to believe that you have not done your own work, she or he make ask you questions to try to determine whether you did do the work. The instructor is not making an accusation at this point, so you need to explain any problems if in fact you did do the work your self.

· If the instructor is convinced that you did not do the work yourself, he or she will discuss the case with the Department Chair and/or the Director of Student Life.

· The most common penalty for cheating or plagiarism is to receive a grade of 0 on that assignment. A letter describing the offense will also be on file in the office of the Director of Student Life.

· For a second offense, the penalty will be more severe.  back to top of page

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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