Academic Integrity in Arts and Science at Queen’s

Student Services DivisionF200 Mackintosh-Corry HallFaculty of Arts and Science

Fall 2009

Why Review “Academic Dishonesty”? Senate review and new Senate Policy (2006) Growing concern for students’ rights Legal challenges Experience of individual cases Changing contexts for approaching

“academic dishonesty”

Issues under review in Arts and Science Terms and definitions Nature of penalties Recording of penalties Process (ease of use vs. fairness) Awareness of academic dishonesty

Academic Integrity:

Definitions

The Concept of Academic IntegrityAcademic Dishonesty → Academic Integrity

Negative → Positive

Punishment → Remediation and Education

Local violations → Community Standards

Moral character → Error in judgment

Academic Integrity: Definition

“The Center for Academic Integrity (CAI) defines academic integrity as a commitment, even in the face of adversity, to five fundamental values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. From these values flow principles of behavior that enable academic communities to translate ideals into action”

“The Fundamental Values of Academic Integrity” (http://www.academicintegrity.org/fundamental_values_project/index.php)

Academic Integrity: Practice

Honesty → full and fair disclosure of all ideas and sources for ideas

Trust → allow for free exchange of ideas Respect → take other's ideas seriously Responsibility → adhere to all academic

guidelines governing intellectual exchange Fairness → distinguish between one's own

ideas and those of others

Academic Integrity in Action: Setting Expectations Promote Academic Integrity in the classroom:

Reinforce the idea that we are all part of an academic community and that everyone has a role to play

Model integrity in lectures Provide case studies to promote classroom

discussion Provide students with strategies to meet

challenges to Academic Integrity Direct students to online resources (e.g., online

tutorials)

Academic Integrity in Action: Course Design Design courses to encourage academic integrity:

Present clear expectations on assignments Use new assignments, tests, exams each year Develop staged assignments (that include the submission

of preliminary work) Define or limit resources students may use for an

assignment Require copy of first page of articles or resources used Balance take-home work against in-class supervised

assignments

Academic Integrity in Action: Correct CitationCorrect citation creates integrity in the academic community. Key

reasons behind citation practices: To acknowledge your dependence on another person's ideas or

words, and to distinguish clearly your own work from that of your sources.

To receive credit for the research you have done on a project, whether or not you directly quote or borrow from your sources.

To establish the credibility and authority of your knowledge and ideas.

To place your own ideas in context, locating your work in the larger intellectual conversation about your topic.

To permit your reader to pursue your topic further by reading more about it.

To permit your reader to check on your use of the source material.

(Source: “Academic Integrity at Princeton” http://www.princeton.edu/pr/pub/integrity/pages/acknowledge.html)

Departures from Academic Integrity Plagiarism – presenting another’s ideas or

phrasings as one’s own without proper acknowledgement

Use of unauthorized materials – e.g. possessing or using unauthorized study materials or aids during a test

Facilitation – enabling another’s breach of academic integrity

Departures from Academic Integrity (con't)

Forgery – submitting counterfeit documents or statements

Falsification – misrepresentation of one’s self, one’s work or one’s relation to the University

Academic Integrity:

The Process

Student’s Rights

According to the rules of natural justice, The student must know the case and evidence

against him or her, The student must have a meaningful opportunity to

present his or her case, The decision maker must be free from bias or

apprehension of bias, and The decision maker must provide reasons for the

decision based on evidence and the decision must be consistent with the academic regulations.

Process for Investigating Academic Integrity1. Preliminary investigation2. Notification of investigation (See form at

http://www.queensu.ca/artsci/sites/default/files/Notice-of-Investigation.pdf)

3. Meeting4. Finding (See form at

http://www.queensu.ca/artsci/sites/default/files/finding-of-a-departure-from-Acad-Integrity-Form.pdf)

5. Overall assessment of the departure

Process: Overall Assessment of the Departure

1. Contact the Faculty Officea. Previous finding → Refer to Faculty Office

b. No previous finding → Assess sanction

2. Assessing a sanctiona. Range of sanctions or remedies

b. Possible considerations when assessing a sanction

3. Categorizing the finding

a. Range of Sanctions or RemediesThe range of sanctions includes the following: an oral or written warning that such infractions

constitute unacceptable behaviour; a learning experience involving a rewriting or

revision of the original piece of work; the deduction of partial or total loss of marks for the

assignment/exam; or a failing grade (down to a grade of zero) in the

course.

b. Considerations when Assessing a SanctionPossible considerations include the following: The extent and seriousness of the departure The value of the assignment to the overall grade

for the course The experience of the student (first-year vs. upper-

year student, concentrator vs. non concentrator) Possible injury to another student or the institution

3. Categorizing the Finding

Two types of findings:

• A. Level I

(Kept with the Secretary of the Academic Integrity and Conduct Panel separate from the student’s main file)

• B. Level II

(Kept in the student’s main file in the Faculty Office)

3. Categorizing the Finding: Level IA Level I finding is made where The sanction will NOT necessarily result in

a failure in a course The student is at an early stage of his or her

academic career, especially a Year 1 student

The student has little or no experience in a course in a particular department (for example first-time experience in a History or Psychology Department)

There is no direct effect on other student(s)

3. Categorizing the Finding: Level IIA level II finding is made where The sanction WILL result in a failure in a course The student is in upper year and has taken

several previous courses in the discipline (for instance, a fourth-year student in a concentration course)

There is a direct negative effect on other students (e.g. stealing another student’s paper, assignment, lab)

Levels of Appeal

1. Instructor

2. Associate Dean (Studies)

3. Academic Integrity and Conduct Panel (AICP)

4. University Student Appeals Board (USAB)

Academic Integrity Resources Senate Policy on Academic Integrity:http://www.queensu.ca/secretariat/senate/policies/AcadInteg.html Academic Integrity @ Queen’shttp://www.queensu.ca/academicintegrity/index.html Arts and Science Calendar Regulation 1:http://www.queensu.ca/artsci/sites/default/files/Academic%20Regulations.pdf Instructor Guidelines:http://www.queensu.ca/artsci/academics/undergraduate/academic-integrity/instructors Arts and Science Faculty Office:Contact f2deans@queensu.ca or Monica Desjardins (desjardm@queensu.ca) in F200

Macintosh-Corry Hall.

Arts and Science AI Page:http://www.queensu.ca/artsci/academics/undergraduate/academic-integrity