My friend took a test right before me and offers to tell me what is on the test. Is this a violation of academic integrity? Yes. Any attempt to reveal information which may give one an unfair advantage over another student in an academic environment is considered cheating. I find information on the internet which I think is widely known. Is it okay that I put that information in my paper for class? You can use the information if you cite it properly. Any specialized information regarding a subject must be cited. This includes any paraphrasing, or putting information into the words of others. When in doubt, cite, cite, cite! Additionally, changing some words to make an idea look like one’s own is paraphrasing and if not cited is also plagiarism. A professor is often looking for analysis or creativity. Offer this and just cite the individual who deserves credit for the idea. I have a really hard exam coming up and my friend offered to loan me old tests to use to study. Am I cheating? Maybe. If they obtained the test from the class with the knowledge that the professor does not change their exams, then you would be gaining an unfair advantage over other students and committing academic dishonesty. However, if the professor regularly distributes old tests as study guides, then you may not be gaining an advantage in the classroom, but if you are in doubt, ask! My friend offered to allow me to use a paper he wrote for ideas and/or text support. Is this a violation of academic integrity? Yes. Any use of another persons work without citations, whether that be an academic or peer, is a violation of academic integrity. In any instance where another person’s ideas are used they should be cited, whether that be in a paper, an academic publication, or an in class discussion. Whenever possible attempt to find the original source of any information, but if that is not possible, cite the venue where the information was obtained. Professors would rather know that a student is being honest through extensive citation rather than suspect academic dishonesty through incomplete citations. I don’t have time to write my paper. Doesn’t the professor want a complete paper when it is due? There is never a good excuse to plagiarize. Some professors may be understanding of individual situations and offer an extension if requested. They would rather see thoughtful, original work from their student than the thoughtful work of someone else. Am I cheating if I work on a take home exam or quiz with other people? Maybe. It depends on the professor’s policy, but most take home exams are so the student can have extra time to put extra effort into their work, or the exam is too long to take in one sitting. This does not mean one cannot plan with one’s friends, but rather that the exam must be taken alone. Often the best course of action would be to consult the professor as to their own policy. Content on this page developed by Roey Rahmil, Celina Uong, and Anton Zanotto.
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