Academic Integrity at TCNJAcademic Integrity at TCNJ

What Is TCNJ’s AcademicWhat Is TCNJ’s Academic Integrity Integrity Policy?Policy?

Through your FSP you are receiving a Through your FSP you are receiving a brochure about the college’s academic brochure about the college’s academic

integrity policy and the consequence for integrity policy and the consequence for violating it. Keep it and read it carefully.violating it. Keep it and read it carefully.

This presentation seeks to explain some of This presentation seeks to explain some of the details of the policy.the details of the policy.

Does Academic Integrity Does Academic Integrity Matter?Matter?

Student Perspective:Student Perspective:““What does all my hard work matter if someone What does all my hard work matter if someone else cheats and gets away with it?else cheats and gets away with it?””

Faculty Perspective:Faculty Perspective:““How can I teach effectively if I can’t trust my How can I teach effectively if I can’t trust my students to do their own work?students to do their own work?””

EveryoneEveryone’’s Perspective:s Perspective:““What kind of school do we want TCNJ to be? A What kind of school do we want TCNJ to be? A school of cheaters or a community of scholarschool of cheaters or a community of scholars?s?””

What Is Academic What Is Academic Dishonesty?Dishonesty?

Academic dishonesty is any attempt Academic dishonesty is any attempt by the student to gain academic by the student to gain academic advantage through dishonest means, advantage through dishonest means, to submit, as his/her own, work which to submit, as his/her own, work which has not been done by him/her or to has not been done by him/her or to give improper aid to another student give improper aid to another student in the completion of an assignment.in the completion of an assignment.

*From TCNJ*From TCNJ’’s Academic Integrity Policys Academic Integrity Policy

CommonCommon ViolationsViolations Submitting work that is not your own whether through

plagiarism (not properly acknowledging the words, ideas, data, etc. of others), purchase, or using another person’s work

Cheating on an exam Collaborating when instructions called for independent work Submitting an assignment with falsified or fabricated data or

results Submitting the same assignment in multiple classes Feigning illness or personal circumstances to avoid a required

academic activity Concealing, destroying, or stealing research or library

materials to deprive others of their use or sabotaging someone else's work

When Is Something When Is Something Dishonest?Dishonest?

Bottom line:Bottom line:

Would you be willing to tellWould you be willing to tellthe professor what you did?the professor what you did?

Why Might a Student Behave Why Might a Student Behave Dishonestly?Dishonestly?

Desperation: For example, a student has been under Desperation: For example, a student has been under pressure at school and home. Several assignments are due pressure at school and home. Several assignments are due at the same time, and there isn’t time to complete at the same time, and there isn’t time to complete everything. So, the student copies a paper from a web site.everything. So, the student copies a paper from a web site.

Shortcuts: For example, a student decides to use falsified Shortcuts: For example, a student decides to use falsified bibliographic entries in a paper for a class outside her major bibliographic entries in a paper for a class outside her major under the belief that this class isn’t as important as those in under the belief that this class isn’t as important as those in her major.her major.

Lack of understanding: For example, a student isn’t Lack of understanding: For example, a student isn’t intending to be dishonest, but doesn’t realize that copying intending to be dishonest, but doesn’t realize that copying material from a website and pasting it into a paper or material from a website and pasting it into a paper or presentation without citation or attribution is academically presentation without citation or attribution is academically dishonestdishonest..

How To Avoid ViolationsHow To Avoid Violations Ask about professor’s policies for collaborating, use of sources,

etc. Talk to your professor if you have academic problems or need

an extension. Good planning can prevent many problems from ever

happening. For proper use of sources, get help such as:

“Links” tutorial on the library’s website http://www.tcnj.edu/~liblinks Help at the tutoring center Turnitin, a service that searches Internet and a database of over 40

million student papers to help you or your professor tell if you are relying too heavily a source. Turnitin is available on SOCS. Just go to Academic Links at the top of the SOCS page and then “Plagiarism Prevention” which lets you upload a paper to check on its degree of “originality.”

Case StudiesCase Studies

Some of these cases may have clear-cut answers; Some of these cases may have clear-cut answers; some may depend upon circumstances in a specific some may depend upon circumstances in a specific class; but all of the cases are worth discussing to class; but all of the cases are worth discussing to get a better idea about academic integrity issues.get a better idea about academic integrity issues.

Academic Integrity Case #1Academic Integrity Case #1

Jane writes a paper for an Introduction to Jane writes a paper for an Introduction to Management course on the topic of Management course on the topic of ““Flexible Workplace Benefits in a Diverse Flexible Workplace Benefits in a Diverse Workforce.Workforce.”” The following year, in a class The following year, in a class on Benefits and Compensation, she on Benefits and Compensation, she submits the same paper. Has she submits the same paper. Has she behaved dishonestly? behaved dishonestly?

Academic Integrity Case #2Academic Integrity Case #2

Jeff is writing a paper for a political science class. Jeff is writing a paper for a political science class. He needs to describe the workings of the British He needs to describe the workings of the British parliamentary system. He has a source that parliamentary system. He has a source that explains the system very concisely and well. He explains the system very concisely and well. He cancan’’t think of a better way to summarize the t think of a better way to summarize the system, so he uses some of the exact phrases of system, so he uses some of the exact phrases of the source interspersed among his own words. He the source interspersed among his own words. He cites the source at the end of the paragraph. Has cites the source at the end of the paragraph. Has he behaved dishonestly?he behaved dishonestly?

Academic Integrity Case #3Academic Integrity Case #3

Isaac was working on a group project with three Isaac was working on a group project with three other students. Each student was required to other students. Each student was required to complete a fair share, 25%, of the work. Isaac complete a fair share, 25%, of the work. Isaac completed about 10% of the total project. Has he completed about 10% of the total project. Has he behaved dishonestly?behaved dishonestly?

Does the answer change if Isaac doesnDoes the answer change if Isaac doesn’’t t contribute anything?contribute anything?

Academic Integrity Case #4Academic Integrity Case #4

Sarah and Peter were lab partners in a chemistry Sarah and Peter were lab partners in a chemistry class. One week they split the 30 homework class. One week they split the 30 homework problems (unrelated to their lab) in half. Sarah problems (unrelated to their lab) in half. Sarah did the odd numbers and Peter did the even did the odd numbers and Peter did the even numbers. They met Sunday night to share the numbers. They met Sunday night to share the answers. On Monday, Sarah and Peter answers. On Monday, Sarah and Peter individually submitted the completed 30 individually submitted the completed 30 problems. Have they behaved dishonestly?problems. Have they behaved dishonestly?

Academic Integrity Case #5Academic Integrity Case #5

Sylvia is writing a paper for her economics class. Sylvia is writing a paper for her economics class. She finishes the paper a couple days before its due She finishes the paper a couple days before its due date and sends a copy to her mother by email. Her date and sends a copy to her mother by email. Her mother corrects the paper to fix the grammar, mother corrects the paper to fix the grammar, spelling, and typos and then sends it back to Sylvia spelling, and typos and then sends it back to Sylvia by email. Sylvia turns in the copy corrected by her by email. Sylvia turns in the copy corrected by her mother. Has Sylvia behaved dishonestly?mother. Has Sylvia behaved dishonestly?

Academic Integrity Case #6Academic Integrity Case #6

Arnold hasnArnold hasn’’t finished his reading for his history t finished his reading for his history class. The professor sometimes asks students class. The professor sometimes asks students questions point-blank about the reading, and Arnold questions point-blank about the reading, and Arnold doesn’t want to risk not being able to answer doesn’t want to risk not being able to answer something. So, he emails the professor to say that something. So, he emails the professor to say that he’s feeling sick and skips class. Has he behaved he’s feeling sick and skips class. Has he behaved dishonestly?dishonestly?

Other Academic Integrity CasesOther Academic Integrity Cases

What kinds of hard-to-judge cases can you What kinds of hard-to-judge cases can you imagine?imagine?

Do you have a question about a specific case you Do you have a question about a specific case you know about or can imagine?know about or can imagine?

What Happens in Academic What Happens in Academic Integrity Cases?Integrity Cases?

Academic integrity cases may be decided by the Academic integrity cases may be decided by the faculty member, an Academic Integrity Officer in faculty member, an Academic Integrity Officer in a School, or the All-College Academic Integrity a School, or the All-College Academic Integrity BoardBoard

Result of academic integrity cases may include:Result of academic integrity cases may include: Being cleared of any wrongdoingBeing cleared of any wrongdoing Redoing the assignment in question (with or Redoing the assignment in question (with or

without a penalty)without a penalty) Receiving an F for the assignmentReceiving an F for the assignment Receiving an F for the courseReceiving an F for the course Receiving a Disciplinary F (which permanently Receiving a Disciplinary F (which permanently

counts in the GPA)counts in the GPA) Being suspended or dismissed from TCNJ.Being suspended or dismissed from TCNJ.

Academic Integrity Procedure.Academic Integrity Procedure.

An instructor will consult with the student about a An instructor will consult with the student about a suspected incident of academic dishonesty.suspected incident of academic dishonesty.

If the instructor believes it to be intentional, s/he will If the instructor believes it to be intentional, s/he will reports it to the appropriate Academic Integrity reports it to the appropriate Academic Integrity Officer.Officer.

The AIO investigates. The matter may be settled by The AIO investigates. The matter may be settled by the AIO. The student has a right to a hearing before the AIO. The student has a right to a hearing before the All-College Academic Integrity Board.the All-College Academic Integrity Board.

If the instructor believes the incident to be If the instructor believes the incident to be unintentional, s/he may report it or take other actions unintentional, s/he may report it or take other actions such as giving a grade of zero or requiring the work to such as giving a grade of zero or requiring the work to be redone. be redone.