new course proposal: understanding academic integrity
TRANSCRIPT
1
New Course Proposal: Understanding Academic Integrity (UNIV*7100) 1. Objectives of the Course, including, as applicable, how the University's Learning Objectives are addressed. In Understanding Academic Integrity, students will learn:
1. The University of Guelph’s Academic Misconduct policy and where to find more information about the regulations it entails
2. What constitutes academic misconduct, including—but not limited to—the following (as defined in the Academic Calendar):
A. Misappropriation of Other's Work a. Plagiarism (for example, misrepresenting ideas, expression of ideas,
numerical/visual data of others as one’s own) b. Copying c. Unauthorized Co-operation or Collaboration
B. Misrepresentation and Fraud
a. Impersonation b. Falsification c. Withholding d. Unauthorized Aids and Assistance e. Improper Access and Obstruction f. Preventing Access to Materials
C. Obstruction and Interference
a. Improper Access b. Improper Dissemination
D. Aiding and Abetting
3. The causes of academic misconduct and how to prevent it
4. How to properly paraphrase/integrate source material without plagiarizing
5. How to recognize when information must be cited
6. Where to find more help with citing, referencing, and other academic integrity questions
This course meets the following University of Guelph Learning Objectives:
2
Literacy
Understanding of Forms of Inquiry
Moral Maturity
Independence of Thought
Love of Learning Understanding Academic Integrity supports the learning objectives both of literacy and of understanding forms of inquiry by helping students strengthen their ability to learn from, think critically about, and communicate their ideas using scholarly sources. A key part of the course is instruction in and practice of effectively integrating and giving credit to the work of others in their own scholarly work. The course content will emphasize the importance of using these ethical approaches in the scholarly pursuit of knowledge and understanding. By providing an opportunity for students to learn and practice using sources ethically, this course aims to instil in students an awareness of the moral maturity expected of them in the academic community. Morality always depends on the individual exercise of judgment; this course will provide standards that students can use to guide their scholarly and personal decisions. This course will also support the objective of independence of thought by emphasizing the importance of students developing and expressing their own critical viewpoints. To do this, students must be able to critically analyze and synthesize information from other sources, and they must be able to respond to and build on what others have said in a respectful, thoughtful manner. Proper citation, paraphrasing, and referencing practices are essential to this task. Without these skills, students are unable to move beyond passively receiving and repeating rote knowledge, and they are more at risk of committing academic misconduct. Understanding Academic Integrity supports the objective of love of learning. The course aims to help build students’ confidence in dealing effectively with sources and takes a supportive, positive approach to the topic of academic integrity. It aims to instil in students an understanding of how the value of academic work and of university degrees depends on the honesty and integrity of the scholarly community, and emphasizes that every scholar bears a responsibility in upholding these values. 2. Material to be covered, indicating emphasis and anticipated depth of study
The course includes the following:
Definitions of academic integrity and plagiarism
Rules, regulations, and penalties for academic misconduct at the University of Guelph
Example cases to show proper and improper conduct
Illustrations of how to avoid unintentional academic misconduct and plagiarism
3
Exercises that reinforce learning by asking participants to apply their knowledge
A quiz to test understanding of the rules governing academic work
The course will take 1-2 hours to complete, and it will provide students with a working knowledge of definitions and strategies. This working knowledge will be deepened by realistic scenarios and practice. Students should be able to apply this knowledge directly to their work as graduate researchers and scholars.
Method of course presentation
The course will be presented as an online module through D2L. 4. Method of evaluation (include breakdown of marks) The course will use a pass/fail format. Students will be evaluated with a final quiz in multiple-choice format. To pass the course, students must score a minimum of 80 percent. 5. Reason for this course offering and intended user group(s) Academic integrity is fundamental to the University of Guelph’s educational mission. As stated
in the Graduate Calendar, “trust in the integrity of scholarly work is the foundation of academic
life and the value of our University’s degrees.” Academic misconduct is behaviour that erodes
the basis of mutual trust on which scholarly exchanges commonly rest, undermines the
University’s exercise of its responsibility to evaluate students’ academic achievements, or
restricts the University’s ability to accomplish its learning objectives. The University treats
academic misconduct seriously and through its Academic Misconduct policy describes
associated actions, penalties and procedures.
The Canadian Association of Graduate Studies has identified the ability to demonstrate ethical
values and practice as one of the requisite professional skills all graduate students should
possess. Understanding and demonstrating academic integrity are qualities that should be
expected of all graduates earning advanced degrees at the University of Guelph.
Graduate students who are found guilty of academic misconduct are typically students who did not
intend to commit academic misconduct and did so out of lack of understanding of the concepts and
practices upon which academic integrity is judged. Lack of understanding of these practices is a
common source of anxiety for graduate students, many of whom fear they will accidentally commit
plagiarism or another form of academic misconduct. This course will help ensure that all graduate
students have a good understanding of academic integrity and the related policies and
expectations at the University of Guelph.
4
The benefits of instituting a mandatory academic integrity tutorial include:
- Increased awareness among graduate students about how to prevent academic misconduct;
- Reduced reliance on faculty members and writing staff to tutor students on how to prevent or
remedy academic misconduct; and
- Increased confidence that all graduates of advanced studies will act with a professional level
of integrity.
The intended user group is all graduate students enrolled in advanced degrees and diplomas at the
University of Guelph.
6. Are there other departments/schools with expertise in the areas covered by this course?
Officially, no.
1
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS – Draft 03/15/2012
COURSE OVERVIEW
Introduction
Academic integrity is fundamental to the University of Guelph’s educational mission. As stated
in the Graduate Calendar, “trust in the integrity of scholarly work is the foundation of academic
life and the value of our University’s degrees.” Academic misconduct is behaviour that erodes
the basis of mutual trust on which scholarly exchanges commonly rest, undermines the
University’s exercise of its responsibility to evaluate students’ academic achievements, or
restricts the University’s ability to accomplish its learning objectives. The University treats
academic misconduct seriously and through its Academic Misconduct policy describes
associated actions, penalties and procedures.
The Canadian Association of Graduate Studies has identified the ability to demonstrate ethical
values and practice as one of the requisite professional skills all graduate students should
possess. Understanding and demonstrating academic integrity are qualities that should be
expected of all graduates earning advanced degrees at the University of Guelph.
What else do I need to know about this course?
Why am I taking this course?
Graduate students who are found guilty of academic misconduct are typically students who did not
intend to commit academic misconduct and did so out of lack of understanding of the concepts and
practices upon which academic integrity is judged. Lack of understanding of these practices is a
common source of anxiety for graduate students, many of whom fear they will accidentally commit
plagiarism or another form of academic misconduct. This course will help ensure that all graduate
students have a good understanding of academic integrity and the related policies and
expectations at the University of Guelph.
How will I use what I learn in my work at the University of Guelph? There are a number of ways you will use what you learn in this course. First, you will have a stronger grasp of the meaning of academic integrity and related terms at the University of Guelph, which should assist you in your own work as well as in your guidance to others, for example as a teaching assistant. You may also use what you learn as you complete assignments and write papers; the guidance in this tutorial will help you understand what is considered ethical and appropriate behaviour for graduate students at the University of Guelph.
How is this course set up? This course is composed of four sections:
2
Understanding Academic Integrity Understanding Plagiarism Promoting a Culture of Integrity Quiz
Each section will provide you with information and examples and then ask you to apply that information to situations you may encounter.
Be sure to follow the arrows on each page (in the upper right hand corner) to go to the next page of information.
How long will this course take? The module is expected to take about two hours to complete, though this may vary from student to student. You do not have to complete the entire course at once. You can return anytime and pick up where you last left off.
Does the University know if I have taken the course? Yes. Your registration in the course is monitored.
Will there be follow-up if I do not take this course? Yes. You must complete the course in order to register for your next semester.
Can I retake the course? You can view the material as often as you like; however, you can only complete the quiz once.
Who can I call or email if I have a question about the content? If you have questions about the content of the course, you can contact Writing Services by telephone at 519-824-4120 ext. 56350 or by email at [email protected]
Comment [kg1]: Not sure if we will have this functionality or not
3
SECTION 1: UNDERSTANDING ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Check your knowledge: Part 1
Last term, you wrote an essay which is slightly similar to the topic your professor has assigned
this semester. Can you incorporate this paper into the paper you are now supposed to write
without being accused of academic misconduct?
A. Yes you can if you talk to your professor first about it and s/he says that it is all right and puts that permission in writing.
B. Handing in the same paper (or large sections of the same paper) twice is always academic misconduct.
C. If you know that this particular professor usually allows students to do this, you can go ahead and use your earlier paper without worrying about it.
Show the answer
Answer:
A. Students are not allowed to submit the same work twice without the prior written permission from the instructors of all courses involved. Link to university policy rule 2: University policy rule 2: Misrepresentation of Personal Performance (e) states that "Submitting the same course work, research, or assignment for credit on more than one occasion in two or more courses without the prior written permission of the instructors in all of the courses involved."
4
Check your knowledge: Part 2
You have found some journal articles in the library, but you know that other students in the
class will want to use them too. You are afraid that if you don't get control of them now, you
will never be able to get them again, but you have a job interview in half an hour and can't
spend the time you need to copy all of the information. Is it such a big deal if you misplace
those volumes on the shelves so that no one else will be able to find them before you return
to do your research?
A. Everyone does this from time to time and this cannot be considered academic misconduct.
B. This is an offence because you are obstructing other students from conducting scholarly work.
Show the answer
Answer:
B. If you hide library materials you are restricting access to materials intended for general academic use. This falls under section 3 in the Offences section of the U. Of G. Calendar under the heading "Damage to the Integrity of Scholarly Exchange."
5
Page 1: What is Academic Integrity?
What is Academic Integrity?
Academic integrity is a code of ethics for teachers, students, researchers, and writers and is fundamental to the University of Guelph’s educational mission. Trust in the integrity of scholarly work is the foundation of academic life and the value of our university’s degrees.
A code of ethics for students and faculty
The ethical person does not: • claim credit for the work of another • falsify documents • prevent another person from performing academic tasks in order to gain an unfair advantage • disobey the rules of ethical research or improperly obtain access to privileged information or disseminate that information. As a student at the University of Guelph, not only should you obey this code of ethics, but you also have the right to expect that your teachers and/or your Graduate Advisory Committee will obey it as well: that they will grade you fairly and that you will have due process if accused of misconduct.
What is expected of me as a student?
The university expects that students will honestly engage in the learning process. Since teaching is often understood as a dialogue or conversation between teachers and their students, with learning as the result, you can understand that if a student is falsifying one side of the conversation, no real dialogue is going on. Instead of growing and advancing in learning and understanding, unethical students are going to suffer. In the short run, they may be caught and charged with academic misconduct, resulting in failure of a course, suspension, or expulsion from university. In the long run, they will be unprepared for their profession when they graduate.
Students are responsible for their learning; however, there are many resources on campus to assist students at all stages, from undergraduate to graduate study. If you are uncertain about the rules of academic integrity, or if you have questions about how to improve your writing or study more effectively, we encourage you to visit the Graduate Student Learning Initiative at http://gsli.uoguelph.ca
6
Page 2: What is academic misconduct?
What is academic misconduct?
Academic misconduct is a general term describing the act of perpetrating academic offences harmful to the university’s learning environment, offences which destroy that trust we have said is essential for academic life. Every member of the University of Guelph community is responsible for maintaining the integrity of scholarship and research. This means that academic misconduct will not be tolerated.
Generally speaking, it is the student's responsibility to inform her or himself about the rules around Academic Misconduct. Reference to the Rules on Academic Misconduct is provided on all Course Outlines, along with a warning that failure to comply with the rules will lead to serious consequences. It is therefore not possible for a student to plead ignorance of the rules as a defense against a charge of academic misconduct. Furthermore, although the University encourages collaboration, the nature of the grading system in some courses requires that assignments be done individually. If the course instructor has made it clear to the class that a certain assignment must be completed individually, then any collaboration with other students may be viewed as academic misconduct. The important thing is that you are able to demonstrate individual ideas, effort, and creativity.
What are some examples of academic misconduct? • plagiarism • copying another's work in tests, lab reports, theses, journal articles, or computer programs • damaging, hiding, or destroying library books • falsifying health certificates • cheating on exams Why does the University of Guelph care so much about preventing academic misconduct?
Academic misconduct limits learning and disadvantages honest students: these are two reasons that make it unacceptable. However, there are also others.
One is that, since knowledge is built on the foundations of the research that has gone before, we have to trust that what others say they have done is valid. If it is not, subsequent work based on that foundational knowledge will itself be flawed.
Another reason is that, once chosen, the path of academic misconduct can lead to further violations, and can have practical consequences in the world outside of the university.
Imagine a situation where a doctor or food inspector obtains a degree by cheating. Who would want to be diagnosed by the doctor who really hadn’t learned the symptoms of a disease, or to
7
eat meat that had been certified as contaminant-free by an inspector who paid someone to write his or her microbiology exam?
We must all work together to prevent cheating. We all know that we should not cheat; nor
should we allow others to put honest students at a disadvantage by failing to maintain
academic integrity.
8
Page 3: Penalties
What are the penalties for academic misconduct?
The University of Guelph’s undergraduate and graduate calendars define those activities which are classified as academic offences and stipulate the penalties and processes for dealing with alleged offences. Depending on the severity of the offence, penalties can range from an official warning (involving, among other things, a statement appended to a student’s record), to expulsion from the university or revocation of a degree if the student has already graduated.
Below is an excerpt from the Graduate Calendar about the penalties for academic misconduct.
VIII. Graduate Degree Regulations and Procedures
Academic Misconduct
Academic misconduct is behaviour that erodes the basis of mutual trust on which scholarly exchanges commonly rest, undermines the University's exercise of its responsibility to evaluate students' academic achievements, or restricts the University's ability to accomplish its learning objectives.
The University takes a serious view of academic misconduct and will severely penalize students, faculty and staff who are found guilty of offences associated with misappropriation of others' work, misrepresentation of personal performance and fraud, improper access to scholarly resources, and obstructing others in pursuit of their academic endeavours. In addition to this policy, the University has adopted a number of policies that govern such offences, including the policies on Misconduct in Research and Scholarship and the Student Rights and Responsibilities regulations. These policies will be strictly enforced.
It is the responsibility of the University, its faculty, students and staff to be aware of what constitutes academic misconduct and to do as much as possible through establishment and use of policies and preventive procedures to limit the likelihood of offences occurring. Furthermore, individual members of the University community have the specific responsibility of initiating appropriate action in all instances where academic misconduct is believed to have taken place. This responsibility includes reporting such offences when they occur and making one's disapproval of such behaviour obvious.
University of Guelph students have the responsibility of abiding by the University's policy on academic misconduct regardless of their location of study; faculty, staff and students have the responsibility of supporting an environment that discourages misconduct. Students should also be aware that if they find their academic performance affected by medical, psychological or compassionate circumstances, they should inform the appropriate individuals (instructors, program counsellors, graduate advisors) and follow the available procedures for academic consideration outlined in the University's calendars.
9
Page 4: 10 Golden Rules of Academic Integrity
10 Golden Rules of Academic Integrity
1. Do not plagiarise someone else's words, ideas, or data. Always cite your sources. Never purchase, copy, or download essays. If you are taking an author’s own words you must indicate this by using quotation marks and show where the words came from.
Example:
Maria read the following excerpt in an article for a paper she was writing:
“Doctors’ deep suspicion of what they read in the newspapers and even in the less-carefully edited of the medical journals, helps to explain some of the early skepticism about insulin in countries like Britain” (Bliss, 1982, p.190).
She doesn’t want to include the entire quotation in her paper, so she decides to summarize the content. Notice that she does so by using fresh language and structure, and that she includes a citation to the original source:
Insulin as a treatment for diabetes was not widely accepted at first because doctors found it hard to believe in the legitimacy of reported medical discoveries (Bliss, 1982, p.190).
2. Do not copy. This means don’t copy assignments, exam answers, lab reports, theses, journal articles, or computer code.
Example
3. Do not fabricate data, citations, or experimental results.
Example
Mylène has been in the lab for three straight days, testing the activity of an enzyme. She knows that the Michaelis-Menten plateau curve is expected from her experiment; however, for some reason, no matter what she does, her experiments have not produced this plateau. Exhausted, she records the results she knows she should have found and includes them in her report.
Comment [kg2]: Example needed?
10
By entering false results, Mylène has fabricated data, a very serious academic offense. This could result in other researchers building on unsound findings or drawing false conclusions from her work. The submission of false results compromises the trustworthiness of Mylène’s research, and reflects poorly on her laboratory and the institution as a whole.
4. Do not use unauthorized aids or assistance in an exam, test, or other form of academic work.
Example
Paul is about to write his comprehensive exam for his PhD in microbiology. The invigilator announces at the start of the exam that students are not allowed to access the internet from their computers. Paul has his iPhone in his pocket. Not a computer—technically—he thinks. Halfway through the exam he decides to quickly check some of his facts while the invigilator isn’t looking.
While Paul might think it’s no big deal to look up a fact or two on his iPhone, using an unauthorised aid gives him an unfair advantage. The exam is intended to evaluate what Paul knows on his own—not what his iPhone can tell him. This form of academic misconduct is damaging not only to the integrity of the exam process, but also to the morale of fellow students. Think about how you would feel if you spent hours preparing for an exam, only to see someone get the same grade simply by looking up the answers.
5. Know where the boundaries are set in group-work projects. Do not collaborate on the
writing of a paper when each member of the group is required to submit her/his own
individual paper unless otherwise instructed. Normally, unless your group is told to
submit a single essay representing everyone's work, you should each write your paper
on your own, crediting other members for their ideas. If the instructions are unclear,
always check with your instructor to find out what is expected of you.
6. Do not falsify or alter a record, health slip, or grade, or permit another person to do so.
Example:
Joseph didn’t hand his assignment in on time. He knows he’ll lose 5 per cent per day
late, unless the instructor makes an exception for him. His friend is volunteering in a
local doctor’s office and has easy access to the physician’s stationery, so he steals a
sheet and gives it to Joseph. Joseph forges a note (in really messy handwriting, to make
sure it looks authentic), reporting that he has the mumps and must stay in bed for the
next five days. He hands in the note and gets a week-long extension.
11
Joseph’s action is not only academic misconduct, but it is a serious criminal offence. It
would have been far better for him to speak to his instructor about getting an extension
or even accept the 5 per cent deduction than to mislead his instructor and steal the
identity of a physician.
7. Avoid even the suspicion that you are improperly collaborating. Do not allow any possibility that someone else could copy your work or assignments or exams. You do not want to be accused of helping someone else commit academic misconduct. Even the person whose work is copied may be considered guilty of academic misconduct if he or she allowed the other person access to personal work.
Example:
Winston wants to help his girlfriend Cheryl pass her economics exam. He arranges to sit next to her to give her moral support. During the exam, he notices that Cheryl is actually copying down his answers. He feels like it would be mean to hide his answers, but at the same time, he is concerned that if their answers are identical, he might be accused of academic misconduct.
8. Do not allow others to diminish the value of your honest efforts and achievements. Report any case of academic misconduct you observe. We are all responsible for maintaining a culture of academic integrity, so if you know that someone is cheating on an exam or essay, you should report this to someone in authority.
9. Do not deny others the possibility of using academic materials either by misplacing, defacing, destroying or stealing library materials, altering computer data, or providing other students with false or misleading data. Hiding a library book by placing it with books on another topic or ripping the pages of a journal article out of the journal so that no one else in your class can find it is considered academic misconduct. Similarly, if you change or hide any of the data other students are using for their projects, add something to a chemical used in a lab, or tamper with another student's sculpture, you are guilty of misconduct.
10. Do not impersonate someone else or allow someone to impersonate you. This means that you should not allow another person to assume your identity to write a test, computer quiz or assignment; nor should you assume the identity of another to sign attendance sheets on behalf of another student. If your friend can't attend a class or seminar, it is considered to be academic misconduct if you sign his or her name on the attendance sheet.
Example:
12
Ryan has a course that requires all students to hand in a brief response paper at the start of each class. Only students who attend are allowed to submit papers—the instructor does this to encourage attendance. Ryan can’t make it to class so he asks his friend Tamara if she’s going. She says yes, so he asks if she could hand in his assignment for him, since he is away for a legitimate reason—a doctor’s appointment. Ordinarily, Tamara would have said “no,” but since Ryan has a good reason to be away, she agrees.
Whether the person has a good reason to be away from the class or not, you should never impersonate another student or allow someone to assume your identity. In this case, Ryan should have spoken to the instructor directly to explain his situation and to ask the instructor to make an exception.
Above all, be honest in your dealings with your professors and fellow students.
13
SECTION 2 –UNDERSTANDING PLAGIARISM
Check your knowledge: Part 1 You are guilty of plagiarism if you:
A. Make use of the works of others to gather information.
B. Use the work of another and misrepresent it as your own.
C. Make use of the works of others to support your own arguments.
D. Examine the ideas and arguments of others to help you shape your own thoughts or views on a particular issue.
Show the answer
Answer:
B. This is plagiarism because you are deliberately trying to suggest that the clever idea or wording was your own creation, which is a lie, and, of course, plagiarism. The other examples describe how much research is done. As long as you give an attribution when you take an idea or the exact words from the works you read, you are doing what you are supposed to be doing. In fact, by indicating that another scholar has come to a conclusion that supports your argument (or in some cases, a conclusion that you wish to argue against), you are making a rhetorical claim that strengthens your case.
14
Check your knowledge: Part 2
Drawing information or content from the work of another without acknowledging the source
by citing a reference is considered to be plagiarism in all of the following cases except:
A. Using the exact words of the author.
B. Using data that the author has compiled through his/her independent investigation.
C. Using information from the author's work that is regarded as common knowledge in the discipline.
D. Reproducing in your paper a chart contained in the author's work.
Show the answer
Answer:
C. It is not necessary to cite information that is common knowledge. One of the ways to judge if something is common knowledge is to ask yourself if anyone in the field would know this information or if no one would argue against it. For example, it is common knowledge that Pierre Trudeau was Prime Minister of Canada in the 1970's, so you would not have to cite that information. However, if you wanted to say that until the energy crisis beginning in 1973, with its attendant inflation, he had continued the old economic policies of the Liberal governments that had gone before him - then you would need to cite your source.
15
Page 1: Plagiarism introduction
Plagiarism: An Introduction
Plagiarism is one of the most common and frequently occurring categories of academic misconduct at university. It may also be the most difficult to grasp because of the many forms it can take. Many other types of cheating are straightforward and require deliberate planning on the part of the offender, but plagiarism is the form of misconduct which is the most likely to occur accidentally.
Many factors lead new students to plagiarise:
new rules and regulations to learn;
misconceptions about what is, and is not, plagiarism;
imperfect research skills;
poor time-management; and
social and academic pressures.
Despite these challenges, it is your responsibility to educate yourself about what plagiarism is and to avoid it in your work. Plagiarism is still considered academic misconduct, even if it is committed accidentally.
The explanations and exercises that follow are intended to help you understand the rules behind academic writing, to learn to avoid plagiarism when you write your papers, and to give you some practice using quotations and paraphrasing.
16
Page 2: What is Plagiarism
What is Plagiarism?
Plagiarism is a combination of stealing and lying about it afterwards. It means using others’ work and misrepresenting that work as your own without giving the author credit. This includes: • ideas, • words, • data, • computer programming, or • the products of any other creative endeavour.
A severe example would be copying or purchasing an entire paper and submitting it as your own. Less severe would be submitting a paper you have written for credit in another course without prior written permission from your instructor. Another, more common example, would be copying another author's phrases, sentences, ideas, or arguments without citing the source.
Penalties for Plagiarism
The University of Guelph takes plagiarism seriously, and will assess one or more of the following penalties for those found guilty of it:
1. Requirement to submit a new piece of work or partial or total loss of marks for an assignment or course.
2. An official warning that the next offence will be punished by suspension or expulsion from the university.
3. Rescinding of university-funded scholarships or bursaries. 4. Suspension from the university from one to two years. 5. A recommendation for expulsion from the university. 6. A recommendation to revoke or rescind a degree.
All students found guilty of plagiarism will be given an official warning, with a note appended to their record which will remain until they graduate.
17
Page 3: Case Studies
Plagiarism: Case Studies
Here are some examples of what can happen when an instructor suspects plagiarism. The details have been compiled from several real-life cases at the University of Guelph. Names have been changed.
Case No. 1: The case of the multivoiced paper
Mary Jones, an instructor in the English department, was marking her term papers when she came across an essay that seemed peculiar. First of all, one paragraph seemed to be suspiciously familiar. In fact, it was from an article she herself had written and she remembered how fond she had been of a certain turn of phrase. There also seemed to be differences in writing style within the essay itself; at times the writer’s style was characteristic of much student work, with occasional grammar and punctuation errors, as well as a certain awkwardness of phrasing, at other times it was extremely sophisticated, and that of an expert writer in the discipline.
Mary Jones began to investigate further. By entering a few words from suspicious passages in Google, she instantly found that her student had plagiarized from several sources available on the Internet. By combining her own considerable knowledge of writing in the field, and by checking the articles listed in the bibliography, she found more examples of outright unacknowledged copying. What her student had done was to create a patchwork quilt of plagiarized paragraphs from a number of sources, a patchwork joined together within the student’s own organizational framework.
Professor Jones wrote asking the student to come in for an interview and reported the plagiarism to the Dean. In the end, the student received an official warning and received a zero in the course.
18
Case No. 2: [NEED PERMISSION TO USE: By Ted Pedersen Department of Computer Science University of Minnesota Duluth Duluth, MN 55812 [email protected]] During a graduate-level computer science class, students were asked to work in groups of three or four to produce a written report that summarized several previous approaches to a problem in Natural Language Processing and to implement one such method as a computer program. Professor DaSilva noticed that many of the groups included the same section of source code in their reports. He was disappointed to see that no team acknowledged that they were not the original authors of this code, nor did any team give credit to the original source. At the next class, Professor DaSilva put the section of code on the projection screen and asked the class where the original source code was from. One student explained that it was from an email message found in the archive of a mailing list on the Internet. Since the information was widely available, the student didn’t think she had to cite it. Professor DaSilva explained that whenever students draw from other’s code, the source must be identified and credited. In this case, the email message and the location of the archive should have been clearly indicated in the source code comments of the teams. The following is an example of how you could do this: /* The following is a sentence boundary detection algorithm that was posted to the corpora mailing list by Tony Rose. The message containing the source code was downloaded from the following archive: http://www.comp.lancs.ac.uk/computing/research/ucrel/public/1419.html */ This approach provides proper credit to the original author, and it makes it easier for others to benefit from this source also.
Comment [kg3]: Would this be appropriate advice at UG as well?
19
Case #3 – The Case of the Lost Citation
Julio has been working on his thesis for more than a year. When his supervisor, Dr. Xiao, reads
Julio’s most recent draft, she notices a few stretches of text that contain words and phrases
that she is certain have been developed by others. They are not quoted or cited in Julio’s text.
When Dr. Xiao asks Julio about these passages, he honestly can’t remember where he got the
text. He says he thought he had written it himself.
Dr. Xiao asks Julio to do some searching to find the original source. After several days of going
through his notes and searching the internet, Julio is finally able to find the original text. He is
shocked and ashamed to see that the version in his thesis is virtually identical to the original. He
reports back to Dr. Xiao, and promises to change the text and properly cite it.
Dr. Xiao asks Julio how this happened, and Julio explains that he cut and pasted material from
journal articles to create his notes, and then cut and pasted from these notes to write his
manuscript. He thought he was adding citations as he went, but somehow he forgot to do so in
this case. Dr. Xiao urges Julio to be more careful in the future, since his thesis committee won’t
be so understanding if the final dissertation contains similar problems. She suggests they meet
to talk about note-taking strategies and ways to prevent accidental plagiarism.
20
Page 4: Types of Plagiarism
Types of Plagiarism
Type #1: Not Crediting a Source
Copying word-for-word from another source (see Example (a) below) without putting the original words within quotation marks and adding a citation referring to the original source.
(The following examples use the American Psychological Association referencing style (APA), which is common in the social sciences):
Original text: "It is not a fragment society, but exhibits the ideological diversity of European societies, although it has a more liberal cast."
(a) Copying word-for-word without quotation marks or a citation
Plagiarism
. . . . Canada, unlike the United States, did not stop importing ideological developments from Europe when it was founded. It is not a fragment society, but exhibits the ideological diversity of European societies, although it has a more liberal cast…
Correct
Canada, unlike the United States, did not stop importing ideological developments from Europe when it was founded. As Christian and Campbell state, "[i]t is not a fragment society, but exhibits the ideological diversity of European societies, although it has a more liberal cast"(1990, p. 283) . . . .
Remember: Even if you are putting the ideas from that source into your own words (see Example (b), you still must credit the source. In the example below, the words plagiarized from the original author are highlighted.
(b) Paraphrasing without citing
Plagiarism
Unlike the United States, Canada is influenced by the on-going development of a variety of political ideologies in Europe, although these ideologies have never been as extreme in their Canadian versions.
Correct
21
Christian and Campbell have noted that, unlike the United States, Canada is influenced by the on-going development of a variety of political ideologies in Europe, although these ideologies have never been as extreme in their Canadian versions (1990, p. 283).
Type #2: Paraphrasing too closely, even if you do credit the source
So we all know that you cannot take the ideas from another text, even when you are putting them completely into your own words, without citing the source. But there is a more insidious kind of plagiarism that can take place when you are paraphrasing someone else's work.
If you only change a few words here and there, you are still plagiarizing even when you cite the source. In this first example, even though the student has credited the source with a citation, which is good, s/he has not put the original text completely into her/his own words and has attempted to deceive the reader by making the text appear to be a paraphrase of the original by turning the order back-to-front. The words that appeared in the original text are highlighted.
Original Text: "It is not a fragment society, but exhibits the ideological diversity of European societies, although it has a more liberal cast."
Plagiarism
Christian and Campbell have noted that, unlike the United States, Canada is not a society that has broken away from ideological developments in Europe, but, even if it has a more liberal cast, it demonstrates the ideological diversity of European societies (1990, 283).
Correct
Christian and Campbell have noted that, unlike the United States, Canada is influenced by the on-going development of a variety of political ideologies in Europe, although these ideologies have never been as extreme in their Canadian versions (1990, 283).
Probably in this case, one would choose either to paraphrase completely or to quote the original words.
Remember: to paraphrase, you must change both the words and the structure.
22
Page 4: Avoiding Plagiarism
Avoiding Plagiarism: Effective Note-taking
Following careful note-taking techniques is the best way to avoid accidental plagiarism. So, as with many things in life, a good foundation will save you from misery later on.
What can go wrong:
If you just write things down in your notes without quotation marks around direct quotes from the text, you have no way of knowing which words are your own or which are quotes from the source.
You may end up moving your notes around and lose track of which author wrote which words.
You may end up with a final draft of your paper but not have all of the bibliographical data.
You might have copied or downloaded something from the Web but not know where it came from.
What you should do when you are taking notes and doing research:
1. Develop a system that you always use when note-taking.
This system should always clearly distinguish between:
- Your ideas/commentary Write “ME:”at the start of comments or thoughts of your own (or
use a different coloured pen/font)
- Information copied word-for-word Put large quotation marks around copied information
- Information paraphrased from the original Mark paraphrases with a large “P” at the start and end of the
passage
2. When taking notes and paraphrasing an idea, look away from the source, write your paraphrase, check back to ensure that you have not used the original words, then mark your paraphrase to indicate that it is in your own words. You will still need to provide the accurate reference citation for the idea, so write down all of the bibliographical
23
material right then and there, including page numbers.
3. Mark the reference information and page number beside each paragraph or notation you make. This way, if you cut out a paragraph and move it to another section you won't lose the origin of the words.
4. Again, remember to note down all bibliographic details if you are photocopying. Don't ever cut off page numbers.
5. Keep a separate reference or bibliographical list on one page or in a computer file with all the information you could possibly need about your source. (It wouldn't even hurt to list the library call number, if there is one. That way, if you need to revisit the text it will be easier. And if you print out a hard copy of your references, you won't be in trouble if your computer file gets lost.)
6. Find out what reference system your professor wants you to use before you begin to research. Then, when you are making your notes, you can write your references in the correct pattern from the beginning.
7. DO NOT WAIT until your final draft to insert citations into your text. Students often get into this bad habit, thinking they will insert them later. But later, when you are polishing your draft, it is easy to forget where you need a citation, or even if you remember, you might not be able to think which author your text came from originally.
Notetaking Do’s and Don’t’s:
DO: Consider using a reference software, such as RefWorks or Zotero, to organize your sources. Many of these packages are free (and the Library provides RefWorks training and support). These systems make it easier to keep track of all your sources, insert citations into documents, and create bibliographies in various citation styles.
DON’T: Cut and paste text to create a paper from several quoted sources, supplying only your own introduction and conclusion. This is a patchwork quilt, not an essay. It is, however, a common and helpful practice to assemble all of your information into sections while you are doing your research and planning, always making sure that when you separate and file each piece of information it has the citation information attached.
So, if you are using card files, or photocopies from articles, or computer files, place all related information in one file, labeled with the name of the section. This way you are beginning to shape your paper even before you begin to write.
DO: Make an outline before beginning to write. Use this as a guide to the logical path your argument will take. This way, the overarching ideas of your paper will be your own, and they will guide what you write. Your ideas will be in the spotlight, and although you will be
24
integrating the ideas of others, their ideas will be at the service of your argument, not vice-versa. (This is how you make the paper unique, with your own "voice," rather than a simple repetition of other people's ideas on the subject.)
DO: Try to use your own language in most of the paper. It will read more logically than a few words or sentences framing a series of long quotations. In the sciences, of course, quotations are rarely if ever used, and you will have to summarize the findings of other researchers in your own words. Even in the arts, where quotations are much more frequent, especially when you are referring to primary sources, much of the time you will be reporting what other secondary sources have said.
DO: Use quotations only when the idea could not be said in a better way, when the quotation fits in smoothly with your own reasoning, and when the author of the quote is an acknowledged authority on the subject. Otherwise, paraphrase or summarize. (Note: quotations are very rarely used in the sciences, if at all.)
DON’T: Throw a quotation into your text without introducing it first. Make sure it’s clear why you are including the quotation and what it proves. (Spell it out for us.)
DON’T: Rely too heavily on a single source in a research paper, section of a paper, or chapter. There are two problems here. One is that you will fail to write an adequate and informed academic paper, and the other is that it will be increasingly difficult to avoid making your paper into a patchwork quilt of a single source, a version of plagiarism.
DO: Save the rough drafts of your papers, along with your research notes. That way, if there is any suspicion of plagiarism, you will have the evidence to convince your instructor that you wrote the paper on your own. It's also advisable to keep a hard copy of your paper as well, just in case the computer file is lost.
25
Page 5: Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing
The Oxford English Dictionary defines a paraphrase as “an expression in other words, usually fuller and clearer, of the sense of any passage or text; a free rendering or amplification of a passage. . . . [Paraphrasing is] to express the meaning of (a word, phrase, passage, or work) in other words, usually with the object of fuller and clearer exposition; . . . . so as to bring out the sense” (XI: 204).
Paraphrasing allows you to reproduce another writer’s argument and adapt the way it is phrased. Its real purpose is to make the original text more easily understandable and to cast it in a slightly different light – so that the rhetorical purpose of the passage fits in with your own paper’s argument. It usually reproduces the original author’s idea in roughly the same number of words as the original, and fits it in seamlessly with your own text. A proper paraphrase
1. uses fresh words and structure, 2. preserves the author’s meaning or intent, and 3. cites the source accurately.
Example of a Paraphrase
Original Text:
“[C]hronological consistency of cultural artifacts, including language, cannot really be seen as a defining feature of the Tolkienian narrative, however much the author seems to have wanted to make it so -- after the fact. As T.A. Shippey has pointed out, the Shire is Edwardian England, with postal service, pipes after dinner, teatime and ‘weskits’” (Straubhaar, 110).
Paraphrase:
Although Tolkien believed that it was very important to link his antique world of Middle Earth to real languages and cultures, this connection is not always an accurate one in terms of time. As T.A. Shippey has noted, there are many examples of the cosy rituals of everyday life in Edwardian England (smoking a pipe after a meal, tea, mail delivery, wearing of vests) in the life of the Shire (Straubhaar, 110).
26
Page 6: Summarizing
Summarizing
The Oxford English Dictionary defines the act of summarizing as “to sum up; to state briefly or succinctly” and the characteristics of a summary as “containing or comprising the chief points or the sum and substance of a matter; (now usually with implication of brevity” (XVII: 170).
When you are writing papers, it is often necessary to condense the gist of a long argument or a passage into a short version. Summarizing is a particularly important skill for science writers, who often have to refer in a sentence or two to research done by others, and it is a necessary skill for those who are writing a review of literature or an annotated bibliography. All of us use summaries at some point when we write, incorporating these allusions to other people’s ideas or findings into our own papers to support our arguments. As with paraphrases, summaries
1. Use fresh words and structure, 2. Preserve the author’s meaning or intent, and 3. Cites the source accurately.
So let’s look at our original sample again and see how different a summary would be from a paraphrase.
Original Text:
“[C]hronological consistency of cultural artifacts, including language, cannot really be seen as a defining feature of the Tolkienian narrative, however much the author seems to have wanted to make it so -- after the fact. As T.A. Shippey has pointed out, the Shire is Edwardian England, with postal service, pipes after dinner, teatime and ‘weskits’” (Straubhaar, 110).
Summary:
Despite his intent, Tolkien’s work contains anachronisms, so even in Middle Earth his characters live like Edwardian Englishmen.
The great danger when paraphrasing or summarizing is that we will re-use the language of the original text. This is something that must be avoided, although there are some words (in this case “Edwardian” which describes the period in English history between 1901-1910 when Edward the Seventh was on the throne in England) that can be repeated because they are, so to speak, in the public domain and it would be virtually impossible to refer to them in any other way. Other examples would be DNA and other scientific terms, names of famous people or events, dates, etc. Copying other words from the original is, however, plagiarism.
The general rule for paraphrasing and summarizing is that you should not repeat more than four words in a row from the original text, although some authorities have limited the number
27
to three words in a row. Nor can you jumble the words from the original text into a different order and consider that by changing the order in which you say something you have avoided any charges of plagiarism. This particular method of plagiarizing even has its own name: “the mosaic.”
28
Page 7: Paraphrasing and Summarizing Tips
Paraphrasing and Summarizing Tips
1. Read the original text over, then put it aside. Write your own piece, then check back to see if you have accurately reproduced the original ideas and have done so in your own words without plagiarizing. Remember to include all of the necessary information about the source.
2. When summarizing a longer piece, it helps to ask the following questions as you read through the text. If you are using a photocopy or if you own the text, underline the places where you see the answers to the following questions. After you have done that you can begin to write, using the answers to these questions as your focus.
o What was the problem or the focus of the original text? o What was the hypothesis or thesis argument? o What were the results or what evidence was given?
3. If you are writing a summary for a specific purpose, such as an annotated bibliography
or review of literature you will also want to make note of the following, marking it in your rough notes so that it will be highlighted as your own analysis.
o What was the author's method or line of approach? o What was the author's bias, or what school of thought within the field does s/he
belong to? o How is this information important for my own research project?
29
SECTION 3: A Culture of Integrity
Check your knowledge: Part 1
In a recent study of 11 Canadian post-secondary institutions1, serious cheating on written work was admitted by what percentage of graduate student respondents?
A. 15% B. 35% C. 50%
Show the answer
Answer:
B.According to research by Julia M. Christensen Hughes and Donald L. McCabe (2006), “a surprisingly high number [of graduate students] (35%) reported having engaged in one or more instances of serious cheating on written work”; furthermore, they add, “these rates may be understated as many graduate students (37%) reported they were certain another student had cheated in a test or exam during the past year” (p.11).
1 Christensen-Hughes, J.M. and McCabe, D.L. (2006). Academic misconduct within higher education in Canada. The
Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 36(2):1-21.
30
Check your knowledge: Part 2
You are writing an exam and you notice that the person next to you can see your paper.
What should you do?
1. Move your paper and place your arm so that your exam booklet is out of the person's line of vision.
2. Don't do anything; it's not your responsibility, and in addition, you can't afford to waste precious time when you could be answering questions.
Show the answer
A. It is an offence to knowingly allow another student to copy your work. If you noticed a student actually cheating, you must alert the person supervising the exam.
31
Page 1: A Culture of Integrity
A Culture of Integrity
Integrity in academic practice is of fundamental value in any institution including the University of Guelph. Instructors and teaching assistants play an important role in fostering academic integrity by creating a classroom culture that is specifically designed to reduce the occurrence of misconduct.
The University of Guelph has developed policies and procedures to efficiently and fairly detect and deal with cases of alleged academic misconduct.
Faculty, students and staff are encouraged to know and understand these policies and procedures. We all have a part to play in ensuring that the culture of the University of Guelph is a culture of academic freedom and integrity. Knowledge of the rules helps us all recognize what is academic misconduct, how to avoid committing it, and how to properly deal with it when we see it.
For more information and links regarding how academic integrity is protected at the University of Guelph, visit the Graduate Student Calendar . Here, you will get all the information you need to know what the rules of Academic Integrity are at the University of Guelph, and what process will be followed if academic misconduct is detected.
For more detailed information on the policies and regulations on academic integrity, please contact the Judicial Officer at [email protected] or ext. 52464. Please also visit the Judicial Office website for more information on academic and non-academic misconduct and hearing tribunals, www.uoguelph.ca/judicial.
[more content here?]
32
SECTION 4: Quiz
Quiz
Complete the quiz questions below. You must achieve a grade of 8 or higher to pass the
module.
1. You are using a well-known source in one of your papers. Compare the original source
to the paraphrase. Is this paraphrased or plagiarism?
ORIGINAL:
"The body's simplest structures reveal exquisite designs unmatched by any human
creations. Take bones. Their tubular form maximizes strength and flexibility while
minimizing weight. Pound for pound they are stronger than solid steel bars."
Source: Neese RM, Williams GC. 1994. Why we get sick. New York: Vintage Books. 290 p.
PARAPHRASE:
The body's simplest parts show extraordinary designs not found in any human-made
objects. Take bones for example, their tubular shape maximizes strength and flexibility
while minimizing heaviness. Gram for gram they are stronger than solid steel bars
(Neese & Williams, 1994).
A) It IS an acceptable paraphrase
B) It is NOT an acceptable paraphrase
(ANSWER B)
2. You have a brilliant brainwave for a critical interpretation of an article you are writing
about. But when reading another source, you see that the same idea is mentioned. It
is your own idea too, so do you need to reference it?
A) Yes
B) No
(ANSWER A)
Comment [kg4]: Need to finalize these questions...not sure if these work.
33
3. Good paraphrases:
A) Use different words from the original
B) Use a different structure from the original
C) Both A and B
(ANSWER C)
4. The general rule for paraphrasing and summarizing is that you should not repeat more
than _ words in a row from the original text.
A) 4
B) 5
C) 7
(ANSWER A)
5. Joey has an assignment that requires the entire class to share a single copy of a book on
Reserve at the library. He can only look at the journal for an hour at a time. He would
photocopy the article, except he has forgotten his copy card at home. Instead, he
decides to tear out the pages he needs and promises himself that he will return them to
the book after he’s done.
According to the University of Guelph’s guidelines, this would be called
A) Understandable
B) Obstruction of access
C) Misappropriation of data
(Answer: B)
6. You’re attending a conference presentation where the presenter talks about a new
approach she has developed and is considering using in the future. You decide to use
this approach in your own study. Do you need to cite the presenter in your write-up of
the research?
A) No, since she hasn’t actually used it yet, and the idea hasn’t been published.
B) Yes, since it was her idea to try this approach, and all borrowed ideas, regardless
of whether they have been published, must be cited.
34
(Answer: B)
7. You are in a computer science course. The documentation for a new programming
language is on the Web and the author has given permission to use the code. Do you
need to cite the source or not?
A. No, since the author has given permission to use the code, all you have to do is copy it.
B. Yes, you still need to cite the original source of the code.
(ANSWER: B)
8. In your coursework, you wrote an essay that would be perfect for a chapter in your
thesis. Can you incorporate this paper into your dissertation without being accused of
academic misconduct?
A. Yes, you can if you talk to your professor first about it and s/he says that it is all right and puts that permission in writing.
B. Handing in the same paper (or large sections of the same paper) twice is always academic misconduct.
C. If you know that this particular professor usually allows students to do this, you can go ahead and use your earlier paper without worrying about it.
(ANSWER: A)
9. An action is only considered academic misconduct if you understood the rules and
deliberately broke them.
A) True
B) False
(ANSWER: B)
35
10. Your friend is struggling to complete his final paper on a topic you have written about
before. To help him, you give him your paper and tell him he can use as much of it as he
wants. Have you committed academic misconduct?
A) Yes, by giving another student inappropriate help, you have aided and abetted a
plagiarist.
B) No, it’s not up to me whether another student cheats or not; I’m not the one
doing the cheating.
(ANSWER: A)
11. You have a friend who usually looks over your papers and together you discuss how to
improve them. Is this plagiarism?
A) Yes, you should never accept help with the writing of your papers.
B) It's fine to get help from a friend as long as your discussion is a general one, and does not involve detailed conceptual or editorial changes.
36
EXTRA TEXT – NOT INCORPORATED YET
Appendix A
Policies: An Introduction
The University of Guelph has developed policies and procedures to efficiently and fairly detect and deal with cases of alleged academic misconduct.
Faculty, students and staff are encouraged to know and understand these policies and procedures. We all have a part to play in ensuring that the culture of the University of Guelph is a culture of academic freedom and integrity. Knowledge of the rules helps us all recognize what is academic misconduct, how to avoid committing it, and how to properly deal with it when we see it.
The following pages provide information and links regarding how academic integrity is protected at the University of Guelph. Here, you will get all the information you need to know what the rules of Academic Integrity are at the University of Guelph, and what process will be followed if academic misconduct is detected.
For more detailed information on the policies and regulations on academic integrity, please contact the Judicial Officer at [email protected] or ext. 52464. Please also visit the Judicial Office website for more information on academic and non-academic misconduct and hearing tribunals, www.uoguelph.ca/judicial.
37
Rules and Regulations
Academic Misconduct at the University of Guelph is governed by Chapter VIII of the Undergraduate Calendar, and Chapter II of the Graduate Calendar.
Generally speaking, it is the student's responsibility to inform her or himself about the rules around Academic Misconduct. Reference to the Rules on Academic Misconduct is provided on all Course Outlines, along with a warning that failure to comply with the rules will lead to serious consequences. It is therefore not possible for a student to plead ignorance of the rules as a defense against a charge of academic misconduct. Furthermore, although the University encourages collaboration, the nature of the grading system in some courses requires that assignments be done individually. If the course instructor has made it clear to the class that a certain assignment must be completed individually, then any collaboration with other students, even study groups, may be viewed as academic misconduct. The important thing is that you are able to demonstrate individual ideas, effort, and creativity.
There are 12 main offences of Academic Misconduct, divided into four categories . The categories of Academic Misconduct are 1) Misappropriation of Other's Work, 2) Misrepresentation, 3) Improper Access and Obstruction and 4) Aiding and Abetting.
Misappropriation of Other's Work
This covers plagiarism (not properly citing where you get your information from); copying (assignments, labs, exam answers); and unauthorized collaboration (working in a group when you know you shouldn't be). The key point in these offences is that you are trying to pass off your ideas or work as someone else's without giving any credit to who actually did the work or came up with the idea.
Misrepresentation
This covers impersonation (pretending to be someone else to do an online assignment of take a test, or to let someone do it for you); falsification (making stuff up, like lab results, medical notes, letters of reference); withholding (not giving all of the required information to applying to a program in order to gain an unfair advantage); and unauthorized aids or assistance (trying to use anything to help give you an edge when those aids or assistance have not clearly been allowed). The key point in these types of offenses is that you are trying to mislead, or gain an advantage for yourself through deceit.
Improper Access and Obstruction
This covers Preventing Access to Materials (hiding or destroying things that are neat for general use so that other people cannot make use of them, like library books and journal articles); Obstruction and Interference (getting in the way of other people's ability to study and make use of University facilities for the furtherance of their academic careers); Improper Access (getting
38
your hand on things that you know you're not supposed to have (like old tests and assignments); and Improper Dissemination (which is giving those things you're not supposed to have to other people who also should not have it.) The key point in these offenses is that you are trying to harm other people's right to pursue their academic career and be assessed in a fair way.
Aiding and Abetting
This covers helping other people commit academic misconduct. This might even apply to you if you become aware that someone is committing academic misconduct, but do not do anything to stop it. If academic misconduct is suspected, the College from which the course is offered will conduct an investigation. The investigation will be conducted in accordance with the procedure listed in the Calendar.
If you are found guilty of an offence of academic misconduct, then there are a range of penalties that can be assessed against you. This range of penalties is according to a set of Guidelines . Progressive discipline is used in the Academic Misconduct process. If you are a repeat offender, the types of penalties that you can expect get more and more serious, culminating in suspension or expulsion from the University. The consequences of the penalties put against you can have a severe impact on your academic career.
A record of academic misconduct will be kept on your file until you graduate. If you do not graduate from the University of Guelph, you will have to wait at least five years from when you were found guilty of academic misconduct before you can apply to have your academic record expunged.
39
Discipline Process
Academic Misconduct will usually be detected by a TA or a course Instructor. At this stage, the course Instructor will contact the Chair of the Department in which the course is being taught and discuss the evidence of academic misconduct. If the Chair is in agreement that academic misconduct is likely to have occurred, then the Chair must forward the matter to the Associate Dean (Academic) of the College. It is highly recommended that the Chair use the Standard Reporting Form, or the form provided to them by the College. The Associate Dean (Academic) will often meet with the student against whom the allegation has been made to get the student's side of the story.
If the Associate Dean (Academic) concludes that academic misconduct is likely to have occurred, then a finding of Academic Misconduct will be officially made. The student will most often be informed of a finding of Academic Misconduct by email from the Associate Dean, or his or her designate within the College.
If the student believes that she or he is innocent of the charge, they have 15 working days to submit a Petition to the Judicial Office.
There are two elements to a decision of Academic Misconduct; the finding of guilt, and the penalty that is imposed. The finding of guilt is based on the facts, circumstances or allegations the Associate Dean based his or her decision on. A student may appeal the finding of guilt if they believe that the College has misinterpreted the facts, or has not given proper consideration to other facts, circumstances or allegations that may indicate innocence from the charge.
If the student agrees with the finding of guilt, but believe the penalty is too harsh in the circumstances, then they can appeal the penalty that has been imposed. The University of Guelph has established Guidelines for Penalties for Academic Misconduct. All decisions about penalties imposed by the College are made in accordance with these Guidelines. If the student wants to appeal the penalty that has been imposed, they must be able to convince the Petitions Committee that the Guideline penalty would be unfair or unreasonable in that particular case.
If the student accepts the finding of academic misconduct, or appeals the decision to the Senate Committee on Student Petitions and loses, a record of misconduct will be placed on the student's academic record. This note on the student's record will remain as long as the student is enrolled at the University of Guelph. Upon Graduation, the record of Academic Misconduct will be expunged from the student's record.
If it is not the student's first time being found guilty of academic misconduct, and if the misconduct is viewed as major, the Associate Dean (Academic) may recommend that the student be suspended for a number of semesters, or be expelled from the University. If the student is suspended, they must reapply for admission after their suspension period is
40
over. Readmission is not automatic. If the student is expelled, they cannot seek to be readmitted to the University, or have the academic record expunged, until at least five years have passed.
41
Academic Integrity
Academic Integrity is a life style. It is a code of ethics for everyone at a University, be they students, instructors, researchers and writers. It is based on the values of honesty, responsibility, trust and fairness which are fundamental to the integrity of scholarly work at the University of Guelph.
Academic Misconduct
Actions that are specifically contrary to the Rules against Academic Misconduct in the Calendar, or otherwise undermine the integrity of scholarly work at the University of Guelph.
Associate Dean (Academic)
Academic Officer that has primary responsibility for dealing with alleged cases of academic misconduct in a College. The ADA will conduct an investigation into the allegation, and if they feel that the allegations are substantiated, they will assess a penalty. The ADA will also defend the finding of misconduct in front of the Senate Committee on Student Petitions if the student appeals the decision.
Department Chair
Faculty member that heads up a particular academic department, for example Chemistry, School of English and Theatre Studies, History etc. The Department Chair should review all allegations of academic misconduct brought to their attention by individual faculty members. The Department Chair will decide if the case should be referred to the Associate Dean (Academic) of the College.
Senate Committee on Student Petitions
Senate Committee that has jurisdiction over appeals on Academic Misconduct. The "Petitions Committee" is the highest authority on campus for academic misconduct. Their decisions are final.
42
Page 2: Detecting Plagiarism
Detecting plagiarism
In a study of 11 Canadian post-secondary institutions Hughes and McCabe (2006) found that 53% of undergraduates and 35% of graduate students had engaged in serious incidents of cheating on written work. In order to support an academic culture of integrity faculty and TAs must uphold the policies and regulations of the institution. Plagiarism is one of the most commonly reported forms of academic misconduct in higher education (Hughes and McCabe, 2006). Harris (2001) identifies the following strategies for detecting plagiarism:
1. Inconsistencies in citing style and/or formatting may indicate a ‘cut and paste’ paper.
2. No or minimal citations provided throughout the research paper.
3. Incoherent references in the text of the paper (e.g. see Figure 10, and there is no Figures provided/required in the assignment).
4. Glaring inconsistencies and errors in the general flow or logic of the arguments contained within a paper.
5. Inconsistent levels of sophistication or quality of writing throughout (e.g. particularly well-written sections mixed with poorly written sections).
6. You are positive that you have seen a section/phrase or entire paper somewhere before. Many TAs and instructors will report having a hunch that they are familiar with the text of a paper, only to discover that it has been copied verbatim from a familiar scholarly source or another student’s paper.
7. Ask the student specific questions regarding the process of research and writing, and/or the content of their research paper/assignment (e.g. What was the most important concept that they learned about the subject matter from this assignment? What exactly
43
do they mean by the terms x or y? How/where did they locate most of the sources of information? What key words, databases, academic journals, and search engines did they use?).
8. Check some of the suspect sentences using a web-search engine (hint: try and search parts of two adjoining sentences or phrases).
9. Search on-line databases for research papers, more commonly referred to as Paper Mills.
10. Use a plagiarism detector.
References
Harris, R.A. (2001). The Plagiarism Handbook: Strategies for Preventing, Detecting, and Dealing with Plagiarism. Pyrczak Publishing, California.
Hughes, J. M. C., & McCabe, D. L. (2006). Academic misconduct within higher education in Canada. Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 36(2), 1-21.
44
Preventing Plagiarism: Assignment Design
One of the best ways to prevent plagiarism is to design assignments that reduce the opportunities for students to plagiarize. The following strategies will do just that, at the same time as focussing on vitally important factors such as stages of cognitive development, critical inquiry, the process of writing, and revising.
1. Change assignment topics or details every semester/year.
2. Use smaller staged or sequenced assignments that emphasize the process of writing and that lead to a larger paper. For example, by assigning first an annotated bibliography, then a provisional thesis argument and rough outline before the final paper is due, you can progress from simpler to more complex thinking tasks and also be more certain that students will be compelled to do adequate research and think through a question or problem by themselves.
3. Ask students to hand in evidence of their composing process along with their final papers. If you ask students to hand in rough notes, mind-maps, outlines, photocopies of articles they cite along with their final paper, they won’t be able to purchase papers and will be less inclined to cut and paste from the articles in their reference list. In class (or before) have students write a reflective paragraph about their writing process – where did they have problems, what would they change were they to write the paper again, etc.
4. Assign an exploratory essay that will be due a week or two before the final project.Again, this can be an account of the students’ research progress, tracing the evolution of their thinking about the subject and exploring the various ways they could approach the topic. This helps them to begin thinking more deeply about their material. This could also be a in the form of a “journal” or “lab report” exercise.
5. If you can, create assignments linked to personal experience that connects with or reflects on course theories or concepts. This exercise can also include a link with previous assignments, and/or to previous courses.
6. Build in a discussion of plagiarism when you introduce their assignments in class. You can discuss the benefits of citing, clarify citation rules, do plagiarism exercises, talk
45
about proper note-taking and the problem with cutting and pasting from on-line journals, emphasize detection strategies.
7. Require specific components in the paper that makes the task hard to plagiarize. You may decide that they can use sources published in the last couple of years, or a specific number of a particular type of source.
8. If it is possible in your field, pick topics that are current. Perhaps something that is a “hot topic” in the media at the moment this will reduce the possibility of re-using papers from previous years, or finding ready-made online examples.
9. Make your policies and rules for collaboration precise and clear when assigning group work. Communication for what is expected on any assignment is key to preventing miscommunication and what may be considered plagiarism.
10. Reduce the percentage of marks given in the course to projects that lend themselves to collaboration. Thereby reducing the urge to plagiarize material.
46
Preventing Cheating in Exams: Top 10 Best Practices for Exam Invigilation
1. Review the Rules. Know what rules the student must abide by before you invigilate. Rules can vary by Department, so it would be best to consult with the Instructor responsible for the exam to find out what the rules and expectations are.
2. Plan Ahead. Determine what items you should bring with you to the exam. It is recommended that you bring a pencil, small notebook or anything else that you can use to jot down notes, and your own time keeping device.
3. Communicate Rules to the Students. Before the exam begins, make sure that the students have been made aware of the rules of the exam, and what is and is not allowed. Where possible, a list of the specific rules of the exam should be included with each exam package, and each item should be read over by the lead invigilator.
4. Check Student ID. It is a requirement that all students bring official University of Guelph Student ID with them to the exam. Should a student not have official ID, they may still write the exam. However, they should be informed that their exam will not be marked until they are able to prove their identity as a registered student for the exam. Give the student a written time frame in which they must verify their ID.
5. Remove Unauthorized Material. A clear list will be provided before the exam about what materials or items are allowed for the exam. All unauthorized materials must be removed from the student’s desk at the beginning of the exam. Some students who are registered with the Centre for Students with Disabilities (CSD) may be allowed to use specific aids during the exam. CSD will provide documentation to the student confirming the use of the specific aid. The student must provide this documentation to the invigilator before the beginning of the exam in order for the aid to be used.
6. Cover the Room. Invigilators should spread themselves around the room so that all areas are being watched. Best practice would be for the invigilators to agree ahead of time about who will be responsible for which part of the room. Ensure that you can make eye contact with at least one other invigilator in case of emergency.
47
7. Be Visible. Students are less likely to try and cheat if they know that they are being watched. Move around the room. Do not sit in one spot and do something else. Only active invigilation throughout the exam will deter cheating.
8. Be Vigilant. If you see something that appears to be suspect, continue watching. This may be enough deterrence. Should the suspect activity continue, make note of the time and any evidence that could be used to prove that cheating is occurring (student’s location, identifying features, actions etc.). Best practice would be to keep notes of the incident that can be provided to the lead invigilator after the exam.
9. Minimize Disruption. If you see cheating occurring, you can move the offending student so to prevent the cheating. However, only move the offending student if it will not cause any disruption to the other students writing the exam.
10. Forward Information up the Chain. If you witnessed cheating during the exam and had taken notes, forward all information to the lead invigilator after the exam. Try to give as much relevant information that you can in case the matter is prosecuted under the Rules of Academic Misconduct. The lead invigilator should in turn inform the Instructor of the course about any problems and make them aware of any relevant information. The Instructor will decide whether further action is warranted.
48
Academic Integrity and the Role of the Teaching Assistant
"...higher education plays an essential role in democratic society – one that requires [us] to provide our students with a high quality education, to develop moral and engaged citizens, and to uphold the highest standards of integrity. We need a total recommitment to this role." (Hughes and McCabe, 2006a, p. 59)
What can teaching assistants (TAs) do to create a culture of integrity, and to implement strategies to reduce the occurrence of academic misconduct?
Graduate students play an integral role in the teaching and learning community at the University of Guelph. Teaching assistants are dedicated to a variety of roles, including leading labs and seminars, marking assignments and exams, and provided effective feedback and support to students. TAs can have an enormous impact on promoting a positive learning culture, based a fundamental commitment to academic integrity. Gallant (2008, p.6) states that, "The aim of the integrity strategy is to develop in students the character necessary to resist misconduct and the fortitude to choose actions that align with institutional rules..." (p. 6).
The following teaching and learning strategies will help you foster a culture of academic integrity in your role as a TA. They have been adapted from the recommendations provided by Gallant (2008) and Hughes and McCabe (2006a; 2006b).
Discuss regularly the concept of academic integrity and why it is important to members of the academic community and society as a whole.
Become familiar with the University's policies and regulations [n2] regarding academic misconduct.
Discuss the University's policy and regulations regarding academic integrity and misconduct openly with both the instructor and the students. What are the roles and responsibilities for all stakeholders in upholding these standards (e.g. the institution, administration, faculty, TAs and students)?
Promote a collegial community by getting to know your students and encouraging student participation, engagement, and socialization.
Discuss the course expectations and norms directly with the course instructor. For example, how much collaboration is too much? Can students avail themselves to previously used examinations, lab reports and/or essays?
Discuss and give clear instructions and guidelines regarding the course assignments and exams to the students.
Provide opportunities that encourage students to regularly assess their progress in relation to the course content and learning objectives.
Provide opportunities for students to develop and structure their scholarly work using organization strategies such as outlines and concepts maps.[n3]
Provide opportunities for students to discuss and review assignment drafts Carefully review submitted exams, assignments and research papers for
inconsistencies in content, grammar, flow, and citations.
49
Provide timely and effective feedback that provides specific steps to improve the students' future learning experiences and academic work.
Discuss the importance of and encourage the honest reporting of data, including both expected and unexpected research and laboratory results
Help students avoid plagiarism by reviewing: appropriate citation methods (i.e. how and when to cite another's work and
why it is important) effective research methods for finding credible scholarly sources of information note-taking strategies for keeping track of and paraphrasing works cited
Be a vigilant invigilator by actively circulating the exam room (for more exam invigilation tips see our top 10 tips for invigilation )
Promptly report suspected cases of academic misconduct (e.g. plagiarism, falsification, obstruction, aiding & abetting) to the course instructor.
Above all, model academic integrity in your own academic practices.
References:
Gallant, T. B. (2008). Academic Integrity in the Twenty-first Century: A Teaching and Learning Imperative. ASHE Higher Education Report. Volume 33, number 5, Jossey-Bass. 144p.
Hughes, J. M. C., & McCabe, D. L. (2006a). Understanding academic misconduct. Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 36(1), 49-63.
Hughes, J. M. C., & McCabe, D. L. (2006b). Academic misconduct within higher education in Canada. Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 36(2), 1-21.
50