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How do you approach academic integrity
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How do you approach academic integrity
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Academic Dishonesty
Ijeoma Ohamuo
National American University
Academic Dishonesty
Educational institutions are known to be places where people can go and grow academically, but some institutions have rules in place to encourage ethical and behavioral growth as well. The section of a school’s policy about academic integrity is implemented with the intention of encouraging honesty and responsibility on the part of students. It discourages cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, falsification and multiple submissions of work helping students grow from making morally upstanding decisions. Though the educational journey can become challenging, embracing the growth that comes with always choosing honesty in academics reaps more benefits from the educational experience than those of dishonest decisions.
The most common of academically dishonest decisions students of all grade levels make is cheating. Copying another student’s assignment or exam, making unauthorized changes to the answers on an exam followed by resubmission or collaborating on an assignment without consent are all considered forms of cheating. Though it may seem easier to just mimic the work of another student, the lack of information gained by the cheating student becomes evident in later endeavors. Cheating your
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In doing so, complicity in academic dishonesty can be avoided where one student is penalized for aiding another student in violating an institution’s academic integrity standards. Taking personal responsibility for your own educational journey and holding those around you to these standards creates an environment where proper ethics can be learned and practiced. Every student should desire a learning environment where they can be nurtured for academic growth and can help foster this environment by speaking up when they witness these violations being
Academic dishonesty is one of the largest issues in American Universities. “A Question of Honor” by William Chace, a faculty of many prestigious American universities, published in Ethics in Higher Education, is an informative article about academic dishonesty. Chace believes that academic dishonesty is one of many factors that are creating financial, credible, and loyalty issues among American Universities. Chace appeals to the readers logos with reputable sources, citing facts; pathos by acknowledging that he agrees with his audience, college students; and a point of view building his emotional appeal.
Trustworthiness. Educators should demonstrate ethical conduct inclusive of honesty and integrity educational matters, fair/equitable opportunities for all students and encouragement of student honesty and fairness. Unethical conduct includes fabricating, neglecting or misrepresenting professional qualifications/history, criminal background, information to government officials, student/personal evaluation, and absences/leaves reasons.
However, this may stem from a lack of enforcement of the rules. Even at the most prestigious schools, such as Harvard University, students are not upholding the rules implemented: “The possibility that 125 Harvard students ‘improperly collaborated’ on an exam in the spring has galvanized … discussion about … honor codes” (Source: C). In this case, people may argue that the only party at fault consists of the students. However, the faculty may be partially guilty as well, as their lack of care towards the rules has created a situation that jeopardizes the school’s integrity. Revision may then seem like the least of the school’s priorities, as they must show they seriously consider educational integrity. Likewise, at the University of Virginia, “157 students have been investigated by their peers in the largest cheating scandal in memory” (Source: D). Again, the school and all those who work there hold at least part of the fault for this ignorance because, theoretically, they should preserve and enforce the rules provided. The fact that the scandal exists means that they were not doing their jobs to their fullest. Although revision may seem simpler to carry out, the school’s staff must show an attempt at intervention within the student lives to keep them on a path towards
The academic integrity of many academic institutions nationwide is becoming more challenging. This case study presents an example on how the academic integrity of Loyola Law School in Los Angeles is being challenged after they’ve decided to inflate students GPAs.
That stomach churning feeling of guilt for many seems to appear as a small price to pay when completing an act of academic dishonesty. Colleen Wenke wrote an essay on cheating eighteen years ago called “Too Much Pressure”. In the past fifty years, the number of students who admit to cheating has increased fifty to seventy percent(Gaffe). Many people wonder what leads the students to make this unjust decision. Today, the reason for a rise in cheaters is because of how easy it has become, leading many students to the false conclusion that they aren’t breaking any rules; It is simply viewed as a shortcut to success in the classroom and beyond.
...rity, as with as much in life, involves a system of interconnected rights and responsibilities that reflect our mutual dependence upon one another. The success of our individual efforts in this course, as with so much in life, depends on all of us conscientiously exercising our rights and living up to our responsibilities. And the failure of any of us--even just one of us--to do what is required will diminish, however slightly, the opportunity for the rest to achieve their goals. That is why it's essential for all of us in this class to practice academic integrity, n both senses of the word practice. For practice today will lay a solid foundation for practice tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that, so that through daily practice integrity will come to woven throughout the fabric of our lives, and thus through at least a part of the fabric of society.
Cheating is a big issue that has reached the most competitive campuses around the United States. It is increasing more and more with the new technology that we have in the 21st century because students have easy access to many sources of information. Cheating is something all students have done at some point in their lives, but as they reach a higher academic level, they are faced with more rigorous consequences that can affect their futures in many different ways. Cheating might be seen as an easy way to obtain a good grade, get into a good college, or maintain scholarships or financial aid, but the consequences could affect the life and the future of the student.
Add to that a pervasive change in societal values, and students can easily be snared if they lack a strong moral compass - as well as a campus where peers and administrators take a firm stand against dishonesty. (Clayton 20).
Academic integrity has been a major concern among many colleges and universities across the world. Many people may ask the question: what is academic integrity? University of Missouri’s Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities (n.d.) states, “Academic integrity is the core set of values and principles that underwrites the very mission of the University itself; integrity, honesty, hard work, and the determination to translate personal and professional principles into behavior.” Some also may view academic integrity as the act of sustaining honest and rightful behavior in an academic setting that avoids, prevent and provide disciplinary actions for those who commits academic dishonesty, plagiarism and cheating of any kind. Majority of college and universities in all disciplines has academic ethics and honesty policies for all students regardless of their academic statues as undergraduate or graduate students. For example, Webster University’s Statement of Ethics (n.d.) for both graduate and undergraduate programs says, “Those who elect to partici...
Honesty and integrity play a large role in academics in different levels of expertise: Elementary, High School, and College. During elementary school, children are not only developing their physical bodies, but there minds as well. They a... ... middle of paper ... ...
Cheating on academic work is a serious issue that most students admit to doing at some point in their academic career. Elite students are surprisingly the culprits of cheating, but hide it well. (Romm, para 5) Cheating is such a large issue that “70% of students from a sample of 1,800 from nine campuses said they had cheated at least once during their college careers.” (Schneider, para 9) Students cheat on academic work because of different, ongoing pressures in their lives. Understanding the student’s motives and pressures are essential to preventing cheating from occurring in the future. Students cheat for different reasons specific to them regarding their priorities, pressures and because of how easy it has become. Even though eliminating cheating will not happen, there are actions that educational professionals can and should take to prevent most of it from happening so often. Therefor cheating problems are minimized and have a positive impact on the student’s education and understanding of concepts.
Modern students face many pressures for academic success. They are often unwilling to disappoint their parents or spouses. Some fear that not cheating will weaken a student’s ability to compete with their peers. They rationalize their unethical behavior, unwilling to accept a poor grade, consequently justifying cheating as the only means to that end.
From a young age we are taught the differences between right and wrong, but as we get older the line between moral and immoral is often blurred. Things that were once thought of as unacceptable are now perfectly fine in our minds. Have you ever seen anyone cheat on an assignment or exam? Do you know anyone that’s been expelled from school for cheating? What if it was discovered that a U.S. senator plagiarized his college thesis paper? Imagine if it got out that one of the most respected universities in the U.S. was involved in a huge fraud scandal that involved thousands of students. Academic cheating is a terrible offense because it is unethical, self-degrading, and can be detrimental to the learning environment.
The issues and infractions mentioned above are examples of what is and has occurred at universities nationwide. This is not an isolated problem. As these corrupt acts of academic fraudulence and plagiarism continue to reoccur, it is slowing chipping away at the prestige and respect that make these educational establishments what they are suppose to be, institutions of the highest learning. By treating academics as a secondary concern to the athletic primacy, universities cannot fully accomplish their sole purpose. These acts of immoral and unethical procedures do not permit the schools from maintaining unblemished academic environments. Although part of the universities' goals are to create well rounded students, this objective should not come at the expense of academics, corruption, or unethical behavior.
Jones, D. R. (2011). Academic Dishonesty: Are More Students Cheating?. Business Communication Quarterly, 74(2), 141-150. Retrieved from EBSCOhost