Marquette University

Office of the Provost

Below is a summary of the undergraduate Academic Integrity Tutorial. This summary is not meant to take the place of having faculty review the tutorial on their own but provides a quick refresher of what is specifically covered. However, students need to be reminded because a single exposure in the tutorial is not likely sufficient for them to remember all of the circumstances in which the honor code may be broken. Best practices suggest that you reiterate the specifics that directly pertain to your class and assignments.

Section One — Introduction

The Marquette Honor Pledge

“I recognize the importance of personal integrity in all aspects of life and work. I commit myself to truthfulness, honor, and responsibility, by which I earn the respect of others. I support the development of good character, and commit myself to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity as an important aspect of personal integrity. My commitment obliges me to conduct myself according to the Marquette university honor code.”

Obligations of instructors according to the Marquette Honor Code

1. To monitor and design exams and assignments so that honest students will not be disadvantaged by other students who might choose to cheat if given the opportunity.
2. To report circumstances that may compromise academic honesty, such as inattentive proctoring or premature posting of answers.
3. To follow all published procedures regarding cases of academic misconduct.
4. To report any observed breaches of this honor code and academic honesty.

Honor Code Principles

1. Don’t cheat
2. Do your own work
3. Don’t lie
4. Cite your sources
5. Keep it fair
6. No unauthorized help
7. Hold others accountable

Section Two — Academic Integrity When Writing

Plagiarism: unethical use of sources.

Ethical use of sources means giving credit where credit is due, in other words, anytime you take what someone else made (their language, music, videos, computer code, and even ideas), you have to say where it came from.

Examples

1. Buying a paper off the internet.
2. Using a friend’s paper or assignment (even if they say it is ok).
3. Using a paper or assignment you wrote for another class without talking to both instructors (self plagiarism)

Collaboration and talking with other students

This is sometimes allowed and sometimes not, your instructor should make this clear but if you are unsure, always ask the instructor.

When looking for help, go the writing center, tutoring, or student educational services rather than asking a friend or family member. A friend or family member might be too helpful and cross the line into doing your work for you.

Rules about Academic Integrity vary in different countries so it is important to understand the rules at Marquette University in order to uphold the Honor Pledge.

Citing Resources – read assignment instructions carefully to determine the instructor’s requirement and formatting for citations . This may vary from discipline to discipline and class to class. If it is unclear in the instructions ask the professor. Software such as Refworks and Endnote Web can be accessed through the library to make the writing and citation process easier.

Plagiarism Examples

1. Direct copying without quotations and a citation.
2. Patchwriting – leaving too many of the original author’s words in your own text without quoting them.
3. Plagiarism by thesaurus – merely substituting different words with the same meaning, keeping the structure and phrasing the same or similar to the original source. This also applies to computer code when someone’s computer code is taken and only the variables or comments are new.
4. Self plagiarism – turning in your own work from another class/assignment without permission from both professors.

An example of proper paraphrasing is given.

Section Three — Academic Integrity on Tests, Quizzes, and Homework

1. Keep your eyes on your own paper.
2. No crib sheets or sneaking in information when you’re taking a test.
3. No hidden notes or using an electronic gadget without the permission of the instructor.
4. Do your own work in online classes.
5. Do not have someone else participate in discussions or take tests for you (online or in person).
6. Do not share test questions or answers with other people taking the same test, even in they’re in a different class, even on take-home exams.
7. Only use the resources permitted by the instructor.

Accessing Versions of Tests

Using an old version of a test to study is OK if it’s an old test that the instructor handed back and knows is in circulation.

If you have access to any version of a test or even this year’s test , then it’s definitely a case of academic dishonesty to use it without the instructor’s knowledge or to not let the instructor know that people have it.

Students who get caught can get an F on the test, fail the class, or even get expelled from Marquette.

Accessing Solution Manuals and Homework Questions

If you don’t have the instructor’s permission to access solution manuals, Web sites, or previous year’s assignment , it’s cheating.

Academic Support

1. Instructor’s office hours or ask the instructor for an appointment.
2. Student Educational Services offers small -group tutoring for specific classes and free one -on- one study skills appointments.
3. Study groups as long as not specifically forbidden by the instructor.

Using Other Resources

Giving others information that the instructor would not approve of is a violation of academic integrity. This covers posting notes or assignments online as well as files kept by fraternities and sororities.

If you know that people have unethical access to resources or information — basically, if you know they’re cheating — and you don’t say anything? Then you are in violation of the honor code too.

Section Four: Integrity in Field Work, Professional Settings, and Research

Field Work

Some disciplines require work outside the class where you may be asked to log your hours, record your actions or observations, or your interactions with patients, clients or colleagues. Misrepresenting yourself, lying or asking someone else to do so for y ou is a violation of the honor code. Doing so could lead to expulsion from a program and ruin your chances at a job or graduate program.

Representing Yourself

Misrepresenting yourself or lying on your resume, transcript, or an application can cost you a job opportunity or even lead to legal action.

Working with Confidential Information

As a student you may be put in situations with patients in a clinical setting or with students in an elementary or high school setting, or even with clients or customers, where you will sometimes have access to personal information. In these situations you must always be respectful of their privacy and maintaining confidentiality.

Conducting Research

The Honor Code obliges all researchers (students, faculty, and staff) to:

• Give full and proper credit to sources and references, and to acknowledge the contributions and ideas of others relevant to research.
• Conduct research experiments according to professional standards of objectivity conscientiousness, reliability and transparency.
• Conduct all experiments according to professional ethical standards, and, when applicable, to submit all proposed investigations to the relevant oversight bodies.
• Provide sufficient documentation of research methodology so that other researchers in the field may replicate work.
• Observe all duties required by copyright and patent regulations.
• Follow all published procedures regarding cases of personal and academic misconduct.
• Report any observed breaches of this honor code and academic honesty.