surviving with integrity these sessions were developed by dr. mark baetz and dr. detlev nitsch as...

Surviving with Integrity

These sessions were developed by Dr. Mark Baetz and Dr. Detlev Nitsch as part of an academic integrity initiative supported by the School of Business and Economics, Wilfrid Laurier University.

Any use of these materials should acknowledge the authors.

Objectives

• Emphasize the importance of academic integrity as a core value for the WLU community

• Define academic misconduct and demonstrate its harmful consequences

• Reinforce integrity as a personal value for the leaders of tomorrow

Guidelines for this Session

• Interactive session

• Voluntary participation

• Personal stories to be anonymous

High School ExperienceHow frequently do the following occur at your high school?

Often/Very Often

Plagiarism on written assignments 49.3Inappropriate sharing in group assignments 68.4Cheating during tests/exams 44.3Falsifying lab data 42.7

How strongly do you agree with the following statements? Agree or Agree

StronglyStudents who cheated at my high school were frequently caught 19.0Cheating was a serious problem at my high school 18.5

Source: Wilfrid Laurier University, BBA Academic Integrity Survey conducted by Dr. Mark Baetz and Dr. Detlev Nitsch, September 2004. Original survey developed by Don McCabe.

Your Expectations

• Data show higher expectations at University:– Cheaters will be caught

– Cheaters will receive significant penalties

– Instructors try hard to discourage cheating

– Cheaters are embarrassed to tell their friends

• Therefore:– You expect less cheating, that is, a more level

playing field

Some Reasons for Cheating

• Pressure to obtain high grades, from parents, teachers, employers, society, friends, peers, etc.

• Heavy workload

• Perception that the benefits of cheating outweigh the risks/consequences

• Self-defence; perceives everyone else is doing it

• Cultural differences

Adapted from: Simon Fraser University (2004) “Final Report of the Task Force on Academic Integrity” Harris, R. (2001) The Plagiarism Handbook, Pyrezak Publishing

Some Reasons for Cheating

• Assignments perceived as pointless, leading to lack of motivation and failure to buy in to the learning process

• Rebellion, defiance• Failure to consider the impact on the student’s

future, relationship with peers, the wider community, etc

• Ignorance about what constitutes academic misconduct

Adapted from: Simon Fraser University (2004) “Final Report of the Task Force on Academic Integrity” Harris, R. (2001) The Plagiarism Handbook, Pyrezak Publishing

Who is Affected by Cheating?

• Cheater

• Classmates

• Teaching Assistants

• Faculty

• Administrators

• Educational Institution

• Employers

• Alumni

• Funding providers

• … and more

Consequences of cheating

• For the cheater:– You don’t learn

– Penalties, up to and including expulsion from the University

– Career difficulties

– Stigmatization, ostracism

– Embarrassment, lowered self-concept

– Stress

Adapted from: (2003) David Ellis, Becoming a Master Student, Canadian Third Edition, Houghton Mifflin Company, p. 173

Consequences of Cheating

• For the institution:

• Loss of credibility and reputation

• Degrees are tarnished

• Negative media coverage

• Outstanding student and faculty candidates no longer apply

• Fundraising difficulties


Newspaper headlines

University

uncovers

plagiarism

bombshell

Simon Fraser wants to give

failing grades to 47

copycats

(National Post, January 7, 2002

p. A1)

School shocked by extent of

plagiarism case (National Post, January 7,

2002 p. A9)

Cheating scandal shocks

university (The Record, January 7, 2002, p. D9)

Reproduced with permission


• For the cheater’s classmates:– Loss of opportunity to excel

– Questions about value of degree

– Feeling ‘suckered’

– Perception that the playing field is not level

– ‘Whistleblower’ dilemmas



• For others:– Alumni experience devaluation of their achievement

– Faculty rely on cheat-proof evaluation methods instead of what’s best for teaching

– Increased administrative and faculty workload

– Employers view degrees as lesser quality


Classroom cheating and workplace behaviour

“students who cheat on exams or … plagiarize … are more likely to believe it is acceptable to:– lie to a potential employer on an employment

application

– use insider information when buying and selling stocks

– compromise their ethical standards to advance their careers.”

Source: Lawson, R. (2004) “Is classroom cheating related to business students’ propensity to cheat in the real world?, Journal of Business Ethics, Vol 49, pp. 189-199.

University Policies

• Calendar definition:

• Open-ended: academic misconduct includes anything that “… may result in a false evaluation of the student(s), or represents a deliberate attempt to unfairly gain an academic advantage”.

Source: WLU Undergraduate Academic Calendar 2006-2007, p. 110

• plagiarism, … is the unacknowledged presentation, … of the work of others as one's own, …

• cheating, … involves … using, giving, and receiving … unauthorized information …

• impersonating another person …

• submitting the same piece of work, … for more than one course without permission …

• buying … term papers or assignments …;

• falsifying, misrepresenting or forging an academic record or supporting document.

Source: WLU Undergraduate Academic Calendar 2006-2007, p. 110 -111

Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to, the following acts which are …examples … :

University Policies

What Many Students Consider ‘Serious’

Cheating• Copying from a written source 89.6% • Copying from another student during a test 87.7%

• Turning in a paper copied from another student 86.4%

• Turning in a paper obtained from a term paper “mill”/website 83.0%


What Few Students Consider ‘Serious’

Cheating• Sharing an assignment so others have an example to work

from 4.6% • Working on assignments in groups when individual work

was required 4.6% • Receiving unpermitted help on an assignment 9.5%

• Submitting the same piece of work for credit 16.8%

• Using false excuse to obtain extension on due date 17.9%


University Policies

• Sanctions:– Will also be levied for attempted academic

misconduct– Penalties for the cheater as well as for being “a party

to … acts of dishonesty”*– First contact is faculty/instructor– Case may escalate up to Department (Chair), Faculty

(Dean) or University (VP Academic) level, depending on severity

– Appeal process exists to ensure due process


University Policies

Overarching policy principle:

“The risk of cheating must be

significantly greater than

any potential reward.”


Final Messages

• No matter the form of academic misconduct, cheating is cheating, and the consequences can be very serious

• Read the Calendar and course syllabi, and talk to your Profs and TAs to clarify what is and is not permitted

• Never claim others’ work or ideas as your own – always give credit• Never help others cheat – know and observe the boundaries• If an issue comes to your attention, speak to your Professor and/or

Department Chair• Take pride in being a degree candidate at WLU, and make your behaviour

worthy of that pride• You will be proud of your degree only to the extent that you have earned it• If you feel pressures that may tempt you to cheat, get help

Final Messages• No matter the form of academic misconduct, cheating is cheating, and the

consequences can be very serious

• Read the Calendar and course syllabi, and talk to your Profs and TAs to clarify what is and is not permitted

• Never claim others’ work or ideas as your own – always give credit• Never help others cheat – know and observe the boundaries• If an issue comes to your attention, speak to your Professor and/or




consequences can be very serious• Read the Calendar and course syllabi, and talk to your Profs and TAs to

clarify what is and is not permitted

• Never claim others’ work or ideas as your own – always give credit

• Never help others cheat – know and observe the boundaries• If an issue comes to your attention, speak to your Professor and/or




consequences can be very serious. • Read the Calendar and course syllabi, and talk to your Profs and TAs to

clarify what is and is not permitted. • Never claim others’ work or ideas as your own – always give credit.

• Never help others cheat – know and observe the boundaries

• If an issue comes to your attention, speak to your Professor and/or Department Chair.

• Take pride in being a degree candidate at WLU, and make your behaviour worthy of that pride.

• You will be proud of your degree only to the extent that you have earned it.• If you feel pressures that may tempt you to cheat, get help.



clarify what is and is not permitted. • Never claim others’ work or ideas as your own – always give credit. • Never help others cheat – know and observe the boundaries.

• If an issue comes to your attention, speak to your Professor and/or Department Chair

• Take pride in being a degree candidate at WLU, and make your behaviour worthy of that pride.

• You will be proud of your degree only to the extent that you have earned it.

• If you feel pressures that may tempt you to cheat, get help.



clarify what is and is not permitted. • Never claim others’ work or ideas as your own – always give credit. • Never help others cheat – know and observe the boundaries.• If an issue comes to your attention, speak to your Professor and/or

Department Chair.

• Take pride in being a degree candidate at WLU, and make your behaviour worthy of that pride

• You will be proud of your degree only to the extent that you have earned it.





Department Chair.• Take pride in being a degree candidate at WLU, and make your behaviour

worthy of that pride.

• You will be proud of your degree only to the extent that you have earned it





Department Chair.• Take pride in being a degree candidate at WLU, and make your behaviour

worthy of that pride.• You will be proud of your degree only to the extent that you have earned it.

• If you feel pressures that may tempt you to cheat, get help

Where you can get help

• Your professor• Your teaching assistant• University Calendars• Writing Centre• Library• Academic Integrity Website

www.wlu.ca/academicintegrity

Previous Student Reflections

• It is a relief to know that plagiarism will not be tolerated at university

• This [session] is a useful wake-up call to all elements of cheating.• There was a lot that I didn’t know was academic misconduct.• No one can plead ignorance, and a level playing field is in place.• Good to know it [academic misconduct] is taken seriously.• [This session] shocked us into reality. • Cheating in university is far more serious [than in high school] and

penalties are far more severe.• It’s best to hear it from a student, because we realize what a temptation

cheating can be, but that we can overcome it.

Source: 2004 Orientation Week Sessions

• It is a relief to know that plagiarism will not be tolerated at university.

• This [session] is a useful wake-up call to all elements of cheating

• There was a lot that I didn’t know was academic misconduct.• No one can plead ignorance, and a level playing field is in place.• Good to know it [academic misconduct] is taken seriously.• [This session] shocked us into reality. • Cheating in university is far more serious [than in high school] and




• It is a relief to know that plagiarism will not be tolerated at university.• This [session] is a useful wake-up call to all elements of cheating.

• There was a lot that I didn’t know was academic misconduct

• No one can plead ignorance, and a level playing field is in place.• Good to know it [academic misconduct] is taken seriously.• [This session] shocked us into reality. • Cheating in university is far more serious [than in high school] and




• It is a relief to know that plagiarism will not be tolerated at university.• This [session] is a useful wake-up call to all elements of cheating.• There was a lot that I didn’t know was academic misconduct.

• No one can plead ignorance, and a level playing field is in place

• Good to know it [academic misconduct] is taken seriously.• [This session] shocked us into reality. • Cheating in university is far more serious [than in high school] and




• It is a relief to know that plagiarism will not be tolerated at university.• This [session] is a useful wake-up call to all elements of cheating.• There was a lot that I didn’t know was academic misconduct.• No one can plead ignorance, and a level playing field is in place.

• Good to know it [academic misconduct] is taken seriously

• [This session] shocked us into reality. • Cheating in university is far more serious [than in high school] and




• It is a relief to know that plagiarism will not be tolerated at university.• This [session] is a useful wake-up call to all elements of cheating.• There was a lot that I didn’t know was academic misconduct.• No one can plead ignorance, and a level playing field is in place.• Good to know it [academic misconduct] is taken seriously.

• [This session] shocked us into reality • Cheating in university is far more serious [than in high school] and




• It is a relief to know that plagiarism will not be tolerated at university.• This [session] is a useful wake-up call to all elements of cheating.• There was a lot that I didn’t know was academic misconduct.• No one can plead ignorance, and a level playing field is in place.• Good to know it [academic misconduct] is taken seriously.• [This session] shocked us into reality.

• Cheating in university is far more serious [than in high school] and penalties are far more severe

• It’s best to hear it from a student, because we realize what a temptation cheating can be, but that we can overcome it.


• It is a relief to know that plagiarism will not be tolerated at university.• This [session] is a useful wake-up call to all elements of cheating.• There was a lot that I didn’t know was academic misconduct.• No one can plead ignorance, and a level playing field is in place.• Good to know it [academic misconduct] is taken seriously.• [This session] shocked us into reality. • Cheating in university is far more serious [than in high school] and

penalties are far more severe.

• It’s best to hear it from a student, because we realize what a temptation cheating can be, but that we can overcome it


surviving with integrity these sessions were developed by dr. mark baetz and dr. detlev nitsch as...

Documents

consequences of cheating

cheating cheaters

benefits of cheating

cheating pressure

cheating assignments

anonymous slide

field slide

academic integrity harris