Faculty of Arts Academic Integrity

Workshop

Dr. Linda Warley

Associate Dean Graduate Studies

What is Academic Integrity?

Academic integrity is about honesty. It is characterized by upholding high moral and ethical standards with respect to all academic work, and it is a core value of the University of Waterloo.

Failure to uphold it affects the entire university community, including past graduates.

From the uW Office of Academic Integrity

“A person displaying Academic Integrity always works to the highest standard of honesty in academic-related situations. S/he will never take credit for the work or ideas of others by always properly attributing and acknowledging all sources of information. S/he will not falsify documents, information, or data, and does not jeopardize the education of others by providing answers to them.”

http://uwaterloo.ca/academic-integrity/

Did you notice?• I indicated rhetorically where the text came

from because the words were not mine.• I put the quotation in double quotation

marks.• I gave the website address where I found

the information (i.e. the source).• Here’s that website again: bookmark it!• http://uwaterloo.ca/academic-integrity/

Why this workshop?

• Over the past several years, cases of academic misconduct have increased.

• In 2002-03 there were no reported cases of academic misconduct by graduate students university-wide.

• In 2004-05, there were 13 reported cases• By 2008-09 there were 18 cases

Why more cases now?

• The Internet• Confusion, ignorance, don’t know the rules• Cultural differences, including

work/university environments• Stress, panic• Overvaluing grades; undervaluing learning• Bad models in society at large

Kinds of academic offences

• Plagiarism: the use of another person’s work, including words, bibliographies, diagrams, images, tables, maps, web pages, etc. without crediting the original author of the work.

• Plagiarism also includes improper or sloppy citation of all sources consulted in the preparation of any assignment.

Kinds of academic offences contd.

• Cheating on exams, assignments, work term reports, or any other work used to assess performance

• Obtaining by improper means exams, tests, essays, presentations or other materials that will be submitted for assessment (“improper means” include begging, borrowing, stealing or buying)

Kinds of academic offences contd.

• Submitting a piece of work that includes major sections from previously assessed work, without the permission of all instructors involved and/or without acknowledging that this work has received prior credit, including publication

• Impersonating another student

Kinds of academic offences contd.

• Falsifying academic records, or submitting false credentials such as transcripts or reference letters

Examples of non-academic offenses

• disruptive, dangerous, aggressive or threatening behaviour, including by electronic means

• infringing unreasonably on the work of others

• violation of instructor’s communicated rules, such as prohibition of recording lectures

More examples of non-academic offenses

• violation of safety regulations in a laboratory or other setting

• unauthorized use of equipment, material or a facility or service

Hypothetical case 1

• A doctoral candidate is preparing a major research paper as part of her comprehensive examinations. The research topic is closely linked to the work she carried out as a masters student, and she includes sections of the MA thesis in the paper. She does not seek permission from her MA and PhD supervisors. Nor does she cite her MA thesis in the bibliography.

Hypothetical case 2

• An MA student, enrolled as a co-op student, includes information obtained from a variety of internet sources in his work term report, but does not include these sources in his bibliography. He never quotes directly from these sources.

Hypothetical case 3• A group of students writing a take-

home examination work together on the examination, and include the results of their collaborative work in their examination answers. The students are in a program that encourages collaboration on term assignments but on the examination they have been instructed to “work alone.”

Hypothetical case 4

• A graduate student is aware that her writing is terrible, so she hires a writing tutor to rewrite and/or polish the writing in parts of her dissertation.

Hypothetical case 5

• A student completes an essay in a graduate course which includes material both from the professor’s lectures and from another student’s seminar presentation. She does not cite either source.

Hypothetical case 6

• A graduate student is overwhelmed with term assignments and forges a medical note in order to obtain a due date extension from one of his professors.

Policy 71 “Student Discipline”

• The University of Waterloo has a policy that governs how academic and non-academic offences will be handled.

• Everyone abides by the policy.

A look at Policy 71

• http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy71.htm

How offences are handled: Informal process

• Informal resolution by instructor• Process must begin 10 working days

after detection of the offence• Report to the Associate Dean, Grad

Studies• Informal resolution must be approved by

Associate Dean

Formal process

• If informal resolution is not possible• Associate Dean informs the student in

writing of the allegation—five days to respond in writing

• Associate Dean conducts thorough investigation and reaches a decision.

• Filed in the Secretariat and goes on record.

Penalties

• Reprimand• Failing grade• Disciplinary probation• Restraining order• Revoking a degree or expunging grades• Suspension for a maximum of three years• Permanent expulsion

Other important policies

• Policy 33 -- Ethical behaviour• http

://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy33.htm

• Policy 69 – Conflict of Interest• http

://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy69.htm

Other important policies

• Policy 73 – Intellectual Property Rights• This policy stipulate that the creator of the

intellectual property retains the exclusive rights.

• http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy73.htm

You have rights!

• Policy 33 reinforces the provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Code.

• Policy 69 prohibits the inappropriate use of university students for financial gain.

• Policy 70 provides students with a procedure for grieving if s/he believes that a decision of a university member has been unreasonable or unfair.

You have rights!

• A formal appeal of any academic decision is possible.

• Your right of appeal is governed by Policy 72.

• http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy72.htm

• You must file an appeal within 10 days of notification of the decision.

Why should you care?

• Academic and non-academic offences hurt everyone associated with the University of Waterloo.

• But mostly they hurt you.

Why do we care?• We want you to be proud of your

achievements and proud of your university.

• Equity, fairness, justice are the foundations of civil society, and our institution is part of forming that foundation.

• Education should make you a better citizen.

Want more information?

• Consult the Academic Integrity Office website.

• Read all the documents.• Take the tutorial http

://www.lib.uwaterloo.ca/gradait/• Consult the Associate Dean (me), or Bruce

Mitchell, who is Associate Provost, Resources.