Academic Integrity in Arts and Science at Queen’s Student Services Division F200 Mackintosh-Corry Hall Faculty of Arts and Science Fall 2009

Why Review “Academic Dishonesty”? Senate review and new Senate Policy (2006) Growing concern for students’ rights Legal challenges Experience of individual cases Changing contexts for approaching “academic dishonesty”

Issues under review in Arts and Science Terms and definitions Nature of penalties Recording of penalties Process (ease of use vs. fairness) Awareness of academic dishonesty

Academic Integrity: Definitions

The Concept of Academic Integrity Academic Dishonesty → Academic Integrity Negative→ Positive Punishment→ Remediation and Education Local violations→Community Standards Moral character→Error in judgment

Academic Integrity: Definition “The Center for Academic Integrity (CAI) defines academic integrity as a commitment, even in the face of adversity, to five fundamental values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. From these values flow principles of behavior that enable academic communities to translate ideals into action” “The Fundamental Values of Academic Integrity” (

Academic Integrity: Practice Honesty → full and fair disclosure of all ideas and sources for ideas Trust → allow for free exchange of ideas Respect → take other's ideas seriously Responsibility → adhere to all academic guidelines governing intellectual exchange Fairness → distinguish between one's own ideas and those of others

Academic Integrity in Action: Setting Expectations Promote Academic Integrity in the classroom:  Reinforce the idea that we are all part of an academic community and that everyone has a role to play  Model integrity in lectures  Provide case studies to promote classroom discussion  Provide students with strategies to meet challenges to Academic Integrity  Direct students to online resources (e.g., online tutorials)

Academic Integrity in Action: Course Design Design courses to encourage academic integrity:  Present clear expectations on assignments  Use new assignments, tests, exams each year  Develop staged assignments (that include the submission of preliminary work)  Define or limit resources students may use for an assignment  Require copy of first page of articles or resources used  Balance take-home work against in-class supervised assignments

Academic Integrity in Action: Correct Citation Correct citation creates integrity in the academic community. Key reasons behind citation practices: To acknowledge your dependence on another person's ideas or words, and to distinguish clearly your own work from that of your sources. To receive credit for the research you have done on a project, whether or not you directly quote or borrow from your sources. To establish the credibility and authority of your knowledge and ideas. To place your own ideas in context, locating your work in the larger intellectual conversation about your topic. To permit your reader to pursue your topic further by reading more about it. To permit your reader to check on your use of the source material. (Source: “Academic Integrity at Princeton”

Departures from Academic Integrity Plagiarism – presenting another’s ideas or phrasings as one’s own without proper acknowledgement Use of unauthorized materials – e.g. possessing or using unauthorized study materials or aids during a test Facilitation – enabling another’s breach of academic integrity

Departures from Academic Integrity (con't) Forgery – submitting counterfeit documents or statements Falsification – misrepresentation of one’s self, one’s work or one’s relation to the University

Academic Integrity: The Process

Student’s Rights According to the rules of natural justice, The student must know the case and evidence against him or her, The student must have a meaningful opportunity to present his or her case, The decision maker must be free from bias or apprehension of bias, and The decision maker must provide reasons for the decision based on evidence and the decision must be consistent with the academic regulations.

Process for Investigating Academic Integrity 1. Preliminary investigation 2. Notification of investigation (See form at 3. Meeting 4. Finding (See form at Acad-Integrity-Form.pdf) 5. Overall assessment of the departure

Process: Overall Assessment of the Departure 1. Contact the Faculty Office a. Previous finding → Refer to Faculty Office b. No previous finding → Assess sanction 2. Assessing a sanction a. Range of sanctions or remedies b. Possible considerations when assessing a sanction 3. Categorizing the finding

a. Range of Sanctions or Remedies The range of sanctions includes the following: an oral or written warning that such infractions constitute unacceptable behaviour; a learning experience involving a rewriting or revision of the original piece of work; the deduction of partial or total loss of marks for the assignment/exam; or a failing grade (down to a grade of zero) in the course.

b. Considerations when Assessing a Sanction Possible considerations include the following: The extent and seriousness of the departure The value of the assignment to the overall grade for the course The experience of the student (first-year vs. upper- year student, concentrator vs. non concentrator) Possible injury to another student or the institution

3. Categorizing the Finding Two types of findings: A. Level I (Kept with the Secretary of the Academic Integrity and Conduct Panel separate from the student’s main file) B. Level II (Kept in the student’s main file in the Faculty Office)

3. Categorizing the Finding: Level I A Level I finding is made where The sanction will NOT necessarily result in a failure in a course The student is at an early stage of his or her academic career, especially a Year 1 student The student has little or no experience in a course in a particular department (for example first-time experience in a History or Psychology Department) There is no direct effect on other student(s)

3. Categorizing the Finding: Level II A level II finding is made where The sanction WILL result in a failure in a course The student is in upper year and has taken several previous courses in the discipline (for instance, a fourth-year student in a concentration course) There is a direct negative effect on other students (e.g. stealing another student’s paper, assignment, lab)

Levels of Appeal 1. Instructor 2. Associate Dean (Studies) 3. Academic Integrity and Conduct Panel (AICP) 4. University Student Appeals Board (USAB)

Academic Integrity Resources Senate Policy on Academic Integrity: Academic Queen’s Arts and Science Calendar Regulation 1: Instructor Guidelines: integrity/instructors Arts and Science Faculty Office: Contact or Monica Desjardins in F200 Macintosh-Corry Arts and Science AI Page: