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Return to Guidebook Contents | WSU Writing Web Academic Integrity and Plagiarism 1. Ethics of Writing An ethic is defined in the Webster's II New Riverside University Dictionary as "a principle of right or good behavior." Ethics play a part in every action of everyday life and must carry over into writing. According to one textbook used for ENG 101 and 102, The Call to Write, ethical principles are fundamental to good writing. It states that writers should:
In academic writing, these ethical principles are usually brought together under the term "Academic Integrity." Faculty expect students to be trustworthy and honest, presenting work as their own and acknowledging the work of others; to be fair by acknowledging others’ work and writing; and to avoid manipulating their readers, either through rhetoric or through academic dishonesty. In writing courses, the most common ethical lapse is plagiarism. 2. Plagiarism Plagiarism can take different forms:
In other words, give full credit to the words and ideas of others by citing those sources as completely as possible, using the documentation style required. Students who are unsure whether a particular act constitutes plagiarism should consult their instructor. You need to know the rules. Those who violate campus rules regarding academic misconduct are subject to disciplinary sanctions, including probation, suspension and dismissal. Non-attribution and Patchwriting, however, may result from unfamiliarity with challenging material or the conventions of academic writing, so appropriate instruction and a request for subsequent revision of the paper may be an appropriate response. They may also reflect an intent to deceive, in which case the disciplinary sanctions will apply. 3. The Importance of Academic Integrity In practice, in writing courses this means that you should not take credit for the work of others. In other words, do not submit work as your own that you did not write. Why is this so important, though? People use other people’s writing all the time--people ghostwrite speeches and articles for others--and nobody seems to care; why do faculty get so upset about it? There are two reasons. First, in a classroom, presenting work as your own that someone else did is fraud. The university calls it "plagiarism," but it’s fraud: an attempt to deceive the faculty member, to get something--a grade--that you didn’t earn. In a content course, a fraudulent paper forces the faculty to doubt whether the student learned the content; in a writing course, a fraudulent paper makes assessing the student’s writing ability impossible. Second, faculty believe that the goal of academic work is for students to gain an education that a degree represents. They value learning, and the credentials (grades, degrees, etc.) are evidence of that value. Academic fraud, though, sends the message that the content of a university course is irrelevant--the only thing that matters is the grade or the certificate, no matter how meaningless. It’s justified as "playing the game," but faculty see it as trivializing what they’ve devoted their working lives to and emptying students’ degrees of meaning. 4. Academic Integrity Policy On May 2, 2000, the Faculty Senate of Wright State approved an Academic Integrity policy. It reads as follows: It is the policy of Wright State University to uphold and support standards of personal honesty and integrity for all students consistent with the goals of a community of scholars and students seeking knowledge and truth. Furthermore, it is the policy of the university to enforce these standards through fair and objective procedures governing instances of alleged dishonesty, cheating, and other academic misconduct. Academic Integrity Policy and Process The judicial process for violations of academic integrity is activated whenever an undergraduate or graduate student is accused of violating Section --, Category 4 A/B of the Code of Student Conduct pertaining to academic integrity. Students who are participating in a professional practice program may be held accountable to additional standards and should refer to all relevant policies and procedures pertaining to their particular school or college. Any member of the community may report an alleged violation. A violation may be reported to the instructor of the course in which the alleged act occurred, the Chair or Dean (or equivalent academic administrator) of the college/school with which the course is affiliated, or a member of the staff of the Office of Judicial Affairs. An individual who suspects a student of cheating may at any time contact the Office of Judicial Affairs at 775-4240 to receive assistance with any aspect of the academic integrity process. All reports must be in written form to be adjudicated. A student accused of a violation of academic dishonesty is not permitted to drop or withdraw from the course giving rise to the charge of academic dishonesty unless the matter is resolved in the student’s favor. Once notified by the professor, the office of Judicial Affairs is responsible for notifying the Registrar that there is an alleged violation being considered. If the alleged violation cannot be resolved prior to the date upon which final grades must be reported to the registrar, the instructor of the class, with the advice and counsel of the department chair or equivalent will assign a grade of "N". In the event that a student is exonerated as a result of an academic integrity investigation, the student may choose to either complete the course, with the opportunity to make up any work missed, or withdraw from the course without any notation of the course on the student’s academic transcript. When a student is suspected of committing an act of academic dishonesty must utilize the procedures listed below. 1. Faculty-Student Conference Procedures The faculty member will
document the alleged violation utilizing an Academic Either the student or the
faculty member may invite the department chair (or equivalent If, as a result of the
meeting with the student, the faculty member believes that no If the student and faculty
member agree that both a violation took place and the sanction imposed is
appropriate, the faculty member will complete the Academic Integrity
Resolution Form documenting the mutually agreed-upon outcome. The student
will then be asked to sign the Resolution Form indicating that the
information on the form is an accurate reflection of the If, after reviewing all of
the information the faculty member believes that the seriousness In the event that the
student denies the charge(s) and/or does not accept the faculty For information on hearings and further actions, see the appropriate section of the Student Handbook.
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