Under Michigan Tech’s Academic Integrity Policy, faculty are asked to "clearly define in writing (e.g., syllabus, web site) the permissible or expected collaboration on any assignment or other academic integrity issues that pertain to their class."
Here are some ideas for syllabus statements on academic integrity that you can supplement with course-specific information as appropriate. If you have any specific issues you want to discuss, please contact Pat Gotschalk, Director of Student Conduct Services.
General Statement
Academic integrity and honesty are central components of a student's education, and the ethical conduct maintained in an academic context will be taken eventually into a student's professional career. All graded academic exercises in this course must adhere to Michigan Tech’s academic integrity policy. Under the academic integrity policy, students are expected to treat all graded academic exercises as work to be conducted privately, unless otherwise instructed.
Statement about Scoop
In this course, you may not review, copy or otherwise use scoop. Scoop is defined as any graded academic assignments from prior semesters or other sections of this course, in written, electronic, or verbal form, used in whole or part, including formatting of any assignment.
Definitions of Academic Dishonesty
Plagiarism
Knowingly copying another's work or ideas and calling them one's own or not giving proper credit or citation. This includes but is not limited to reading or hearing another's work or ideas and using them as one's own; quoting, paraphrasing, or condensing another's work without giving proper credit; purchasing or receiving another's work and using, handling, or submitting it as one's own work.
Cheating
Intentional, unauthorized use of any study aids, equipment, or another's work during an academic exercise. This includes but is not limited to unauthorized use of notes, study aids, electronic or other equipment during an examination; copying or looking at another individual's examination; taking or passing information to another individual during an examination; taking an examination for another individual; allowing another individual to take one's examination; stealing examinations. All graded academic exercises are expected to be performed on an individual basis unless otherwise stated by the instructor. An academic exercise may not be submitted by a student for course credit in more than one course without the permission of all instructors.
Fabrication
Intentional and/or unauthorized falsification or invention of any information or citation during an academic exercise. This includes but is not limited to changing or adding an answer on an examination and resubmitting it to change the grade; inventing data for a laboratory exercise or report.
Facilitating Academic Dishonesty
Knowingly or recklessly allowing or helping another individual to plagiarize, cheat, or fabricate information.
Certifications
All team members must sign the front page of the assignment to certify that:
- All members participated in the assignment
- No member plagiarized or cheated on the assignment
- No member facilitated academic dishonesty by inappropriately sharing this assignment with others (Mathlab Certification)
All homework must include a statement signed by the student: "I have read Michigan Tech’s academic integrity policy and the definitions of academic dishonesty in the policy, and I completed this assignment in full compliance with the policy."
Statements Focusing on Group Work and Collaboration Issues
The Sauna Rule
If you are allowed to discuss assignments in a group, use the following rule. If you work out problems on a black or white board (or some other medium) with other students, do not copy the answer down from the board. Instead, go take a 30 minute sauna and then write up the answer on your own without the aid of work on the board. Copying work that is not yours is plagiarism, even if the work was done on the board as part of a discussion of a problem.
Issues with Programming and Spreadsheet Assignments
In this class, plagiarism includes submitting as your own work computer code/a spreadsheet that was written by someone else, or directly derived from someone else’s work. Computer code/a spreadsheet is directly derived from someone else if it was created from or is identical to someone else’s work except for minor changes such as reformatting, change of variable names, and the like.
Group Work
In this course, all graded assignments will be explicitly designated as "team" or "individual."
- In team assignments, you will work on the assignment within your team but may not share information with any other team.
- In individual assignments, you must work privately without any discussion or use of outside resources (such as Internet resources).
- **If you have learning centers or other approved resources such as TAs, include a statement about use of approved resources.**
A Special Statement About Unauthorized Collaboration or Sharing
A student who shares his/her work or ideas with another student when an assignment is "individual" has committed a violation of the academic integrity policy called "facilitating academic dishonesty." This violation is as serious as any other violation of the academic integrity policy. In general, even if you are permitted to discuss an assignment with other students, you should not share your work with any other student by electronic means (email, IM), since this encourages copying or stealing ideas (plagiarism).