We’ve all heard stories about students who were found guilty of academic dishonesty and penalized for it — either by failing the assignment or getting an F on their report card, or even receiving expulsion from school. These outcomes are the worst-case scenarios, but they’re not impossible to avoid, as long as you take steps to ensure that your own academic integrity remains intact. Here are some tips on how to avoid academic integrity issues and maintain a clean record.
Understand the rules
The first step to avoiding academic integrity issues is understanding the rules. Make sure you know what plagiarism is and how to avoid it. Familiarize yourself with your school's academic integrity policy. If you're ever unsure about something, ask your professor or TA for clarification.
Prepare for all assessments
In order to avoid academic integrity issues, it is important to prepare for all assessments. This means knowing the policies and procedures of your institution, as well as understanding what is considered cheating. Additionally, be sure to give yourself enough time to complete assignments and avoid any last-minute rushing. If you are ever unsure about something, ask a professor or TA for clarification. Lastly, if you are caught cheating, the consequences can be severe, so it is not worth the risk.
Never turn in someone else’s work as your own
It’s tempting to want to take the easy way out and copy someone else’s work, but it’s not worth it. Not only will you get caught, but you’ll also be cheating yourself out of the opportunity to learn. If you’re struggling with an assignment, talk to your professor or a tutor for help. There are also plenty of resources online that can help you understand the material. Just make sure you use them as a guide and not as a crutch.
Buy Course Material from One Place
When it comes to buying course material, it is best to buy everything you need from one place. This way, you can be sure that all of your materials are coming from a reputable source. Furthermore, you will be able to keep track of what you have and have not purchased, which can help avoid any academic integrity issues.
Keep Track of Your Work (three sentences):
Another way to avoid academic integrity issues is to keep track of your work.
Never Share Course Material Online or Offline
The best way to avoid academic integrity issues is to never share course material online or offline. If you do share, it's important to make sure that the recipient is someone who you know will keep the information confidential. Additionally, be sure to not post any material that could be used to cheat on an exam or assignment. Finally, if you're ever in doubt about whether something is acceptable, ask your professor or TA.
Know What Plagiarism Looks Like
Plagiarism is the act of presenting someone else's work as your own. This can happen intentionally or unintentionally, but either way it's a serious academic offense. To avoid plagiarism, make sure you understand what it is and how to avoid it. Here are some key things to keep in mind
Always cite ideas, facts, and quotes exactly
When you are working on assignments and papers, it is important to always cite ideas, facts, and quotes exactly. This means that you will need to use the proper citation format for the source that you are using. If you are unsure of how to do this, there are plenty of resources available online and in the library.
Proofread Assignments Before Turning Them In
One way to avoid academic integrity issues is to proofread your assignments before you turn them in. This way, you can catch any mistakes that you may have made and correct them before they are turned in.
Another way to avoid academic integrity issues is to make sure that you understand the assignment. If you are unsure about anything, be sure to ask your professor or TA for clarification.
It is also important to cite your sources properly.
Double-Check Everything Beforehand
To avoid any potential academic integrity issues, it's important to double-check everything before you submit it. This includes making sure you didn't accidentally plagiarize something, that all of your sources are properly cited, and that you didn't use any fraudulent information. If you're unsure about anything, it's always better to err on the side of caution and ask a professor or TA for help.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Your Instructor Questions
It can be easy to feel like you’re the only one struggling in a class or that you should know everything, but that’s not the case. Your instructors are there to help you learn and want you to succeed. So, if you don’t understand something or need clarification on an assignment, don’t be afraid to ask them.