Defining Academic Integrity. Answers should be written in complete sentences and paragraph form. There should be 4-5 sentences provided for each question. Please be sure to proofread, as scholarly writing is important.
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Defining Academic Integrity
Answers should be written in complete sentences and paragraph form. There should be 4-5 sentences provided for each question. Please be sure to proofread, as scholarly writing is important. Review the grading rubric to ensure all requirements are met.
In your own words, define academic integrity?
How might violations of academic integrity (plagiarism) impact you?
How might violations of academic integrity (plagiarism) impact the reputation of your school?
How might violations of academic integrity (plagiarism) impact the reputation of graduates from your schools?
How might violations of academic integrity (plagiarism) impact a potential employer?
Academic integrity is:
‘the expectation that teachers, students, researchers and all members of the academic community act with: honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility.’
Breaching academic integrity is also known as ‘academic misconduct’ or ‘academic dishonesty’.
All Australian higher education students are expected to uphold academic integrity during their studies. An important way of upholding your academic integrity is by contacting your teachers or your school if you are having study problems and working with them on solutions.
Studying and learning provides the knowledge expected of a graduate from your course but any form of cheating means that you could miss important professional knowledge and practice that you need to succeed in your future career.
Students become part of a learning community when they study. Actions that undermine the academic integrity of your course or institution could affect your reputation in the future. For example, if you are caught cheating during your studies, professional bodies may refuse to accredit you.
Maintaining academic integrity also protects you from criminals.
Commercial cheating services are illegal in Australia.
Students who use illegal cheating services, to buy an essay, study notes or have someone impersonate them in an exam, are also at risk of blackmail. Operators of illegal cheating services can threaten to inform the university or the student’s future employer about their cheating unless the student pays them a large sum of money – sometimes years after the cheating took place.
You can support academic integrity by1:
If you are having problems that could affect your academic performance, it is best to speak to your lecturer or tutor or course coordinator.
A range of student behaviours can undermine academic integrity. Sometimes, students mistakenly believe that these behaviours are commonplace or don’t have consequences. This is wrong. Substantial penalties can apply for breaching academic integrity (see Penalties for breaching academic integrity below for more information).
Behaviours that undermine or breach academic integrity include2:
Plagiarism
Recycling or resubmitting work
Fabricating information
Collusion
Exam cheating
Contract cheating and impersonation
Students can face a range of penalties for breaching academic integrity, which is commonly referred to as ‘academic misconduct’ or ‘academic dishonesty’. It is often thought that students rarely get caught. Yet research shows teachers and institutions can detect breaches of academic integrity, and students doing the wrong thing do get caught3. And ways of catching cheating are constantly improving.
Penalties for breaching academic integrity can include:
In addition to the risk of academic or criminal penalties, being found to have breached academic integrity can impact your relationships with other students, family and friends; impact your future career and cause you to suffer a financial loss or even lose your student visa.