Academic Honesty and Integrity

Strategies for Reducing Academic Misconduct

Start with the Syllabus

One of the most effective tools for preventing academic misconduct is a statement in your syllabus. Include one in the syllabus of each class you teach.

See: How Should I Address Academic Misconduct on my Syllabus

On the First Day of Class

To further drive home the point, on the first day of class open the floor to a brief discussion, making sure to touch on why academic integrity is important to you, and why it should be important to them.

Explaining academic integrity as both an institutional and personal value, and providing a deterrent for inappropriate behavior, is an effective strategy for preventing problems at the outset.

Discuss Acceptable and Unacceptable Collaboration

Instructors should clarify what is acceptable regarding collaboration on papers, homework, and take-home exams. Kansas State University’s Honor & Integrity System puts out a great list.

See: Discussing Collaboration with Students

Students get feedback on their compositions
Contact
Joseph Brown

Joseph Brown

Director, Academic Integrity

Contact

Phone: 970-491-2898

Email: Joe.Brown@colostate.edu

Sources

Davis, B. G. (1993). Preventing Academic Dishonesty. In Tools for Teaching (chap. 34). Retrieved August 24, 2009, from http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/prevent.html

Harris, R. (2009, June 14). Anti-plagiarism strategies for research papers. Retrieved September 28, 2009, from VirtualSalt Web site: http://www.virtualsalt.com/antiplag.htm

Sherwood, D. (2009). The Dreaded Laboratory Report. In T.W Twomey, H. White, & K. Sagendorf (Eds.), Pedagogy, not policing : positive approaches to academic integrity at the university (pp. 135-140). Syracuse: The Graduate School Press of Syracuse University.

Udermann, B. & Lamars, K. (2009). Ten Strategies to Encourage Academic Integrity in Large Lecture. In T. W. Twomey, H. White, & K. Sagendorf (Eds.), Pedagogy, not policing : positive approaches to academic integrity at the university (pp. 111-116). Syracuse: The Graduate School Press of Syracuse University.

Tips to Prevent Cheating. (1999, October). Retrieved September 28, 2009, from University of California, Davis, Student Judicial Affairs Web site: http://sja.ucdavis.edu/files/zzz-TIPS.PDF.old.PDF.