Academic Honesty: Tips for Students

The knowledge and practice of ethical behavior shall be the full responsibility of the student. It is recognized that graduate students have very diverse cultural backgrounds. In light of this, the term ethical behavior is defined as conforming to accepted professional standards of conduct, such as codes of ethics used by professional societies in the United States to regulate the manner in which their professions are practiced.

What is not allowed in academic work:

Cheating:“Cheating is defined to encompass the giving or receiving of any unauthorized aid, assistance, or unfair advantage on any form of academic work,” not limited to coursework. The most frequent referrals involve cheating on take-home and/or open-book exams. It is important that instructors clearly state what is allowed and not allowed during any academic work, and students should make sure their instructors do so.

Plagiarism:“Plagiarism is a specific form of cheating. It is defined as copying the language, structure, idea and/or thoughts of another and claiming or attempting to imply that they are one's own work. It includes omitting of quotation marks when references are copied directly, improper paraphrasing, or inadequate referencing of sources.” Read Avoiding Plagiarism for additional information.

Falsification:“Falsifying any circumstance relevant to the student's academic work.” Examples include acts such as forgery or changing academic documents and lying.

Academic Sabotage: Examples may be acts such as introducing computer viruses or disabling research projects.

Research and Teaching Misconduct: Although included in the above categories, misconduct is mentioned because of growing concern in the academic community about purposeful deception in teaching and research, including research fraud.

For additional details, review the GHS Constitution.

What are some common ways in which graduate students violate the honor code?

Typically violations occur when students feel that they are "in over their head," either from a class that is too difficult or due to personal circumstances. Often these students feel that they cannot complete the work on their own, so they break the rules to complete the work on time. Common violations include working together on homework assignments or take-home exams that are supposed to be done individually, using notes or other materials in a closed-book exam, or plagiarizing part or all of a term paper. An observant professor or classmate can easily spot all of these violations.

How can students be sure to avoid potential Honor Code violations?

1. Always ask what is expected of you. If you are not sure of the rules (open or closed book; individual or group work), ASK!! Your professors would much rather answer these questions than report you for a potential violation.

2. If you are writing a term paper, review the proper ways to paraphrase, quote, and cite sources. For a general guide on how to avoid plagiarism, see Appendix IIIA of the GHS Constitution. If you have more specific questions, ask your professor or advisor.

3. If you are having difficulties completing an assignment for any reason, let your professor know about your circumstances. Your professor might be flexible on the deadline or be able to steer you to the right resources. Even if they don't offer much assistance, remember that the minimum penalty for a guilty verdict already includes a "zero" on the assignment, and an Honor System case will produce much more stress in your life. Turning in your best honest effort is ALWAYS better than risking getting caught in an Honor Code violation.