Academic Integrity

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Academic Integrity

• Jeremy C. Sit, P.Eng.Electrical and Computer
  EngineeringUniversity of Alberta

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Outline

• Rules for playing the game
• Academic integrity in coursework the
  instructors view
• Integrity in research integrity in life
• Your most valueable possession

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Life is just a game?

• If it is a game, then there are three outcomes
• Win
• Lose
• Tie
• How to reach these outcomes?
• Honest effort follow the rules
• Cheat bend the rules, break the rules

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Is it acceptable

• To cheat on ones spouse/partner?
• To commit fraud?
• To make false accusations of another person?

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Inappropriate academic behaviour

• Why do I encounter so many cases of inappropriate
  academic behaviour?
• Students are unaware that their actions are
  inappropriate
• Students choose not to think about the
  consequences of their actions
• Students knowingly commit violations because they
  may possibly get away with it
• Does it really matter why?

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The instructors point of view

• I have a duty to uphold the APEGGA Code of Ethics
  and the U of A Code of Student Behaviour.
• I must protect and promote fairness for all my
  students.
• If I detect inappropriate academic behaviour, I
  am obligated to follow the procedures as set out
  in the U of A policy manual.

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Academic integrity in U of A courses

• Clear, strict policies and procedures
• Offences
• Plagiarism
• Cheating
• Misrepresentation of facts
• Participation in an offense
• Most offenses can fall under more than one
  category.

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Inappropriate behaviour Procedures

• If inappropriate behaviour is suspected,
  instructor meets with student.
• If after meeting, instructor still feels that
  there was inappropriate behaviour, case is passed
  on to the Deans office.
• Instructor may give recommendation for sanctions,
  but cannot hand out sanctions on his/her own.

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Inappropriate behaviour Procedures

• Case may be passed on to University Discipline
  Officer who makes final ruling on severe
  sanctions (e.g., suspension).
• Appeal procedures.
• Sanctions can include mark or grade reduction,
  suspension, expulsion, etc.

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Avoiding trouble

• Be aware of the definitions of plagiarism,
  cheating, misrepresentation, etc.
• Start your work early.
• Take good notes build up your bibliography as
  you go.
• If you have questions, ask your instructor.

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Plagiarism definition

• In my graduate course, this is the most common
  violation.
• What is plagiarism?
• Submitting the words, ideas, images, or data of
  another persons as ones own.
• Misrepresenting someone elses work as ones own.
• Effectively, stealing credit!

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Plagiarism avoiding trouble

• Everything must be expressed in your own words
• Demonstrate that you understand the material by
  distilling, digesting, discussing, analysing,
  criticising it.
• Do not just repeat what you see someone else say
  this shows no understanding.
• References must be provided for anything that you
  did not personally generate

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Plagiarism avoiding trouble

• How would you feel if other people plagiarised
  your work?
• Why might people plagiarise?
• Some people feel that it is not their place to
  express ideas in their own words and that one
  should use what others have written as-is.
• Some people feel their own writing is poor.
• These are all illogical reasons and unacceptable
  rationalisations for stealing from others!

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Plagiarism avoiding trouble

• Students must learn to express ideas in their own
  words and to learn to write better through
  practise.
• Only then can one achieve
• Deeper understanding of ideas this leads to
  development of new ideas
• Better writing essential for conveying the
  ideas of the future

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Your duties as a TA or lab instructor

• Most graduate students will serve as a TA or
  instructor at some point during their programs.
• You will thus share in the responsibilities of
  upholding the Code of Student Behaviour.
• You are obligated to report to the course
  instructor anything that is suspiciousthis
  should be your first course of action.

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Example 1 Cases 1, 2, 3, n

• Plagiarism on term paper in my grad course.
• This has been on a long term paper (10 pages)
  and on short papers (2 pages).
• Incidents include
• Copying from a book
• Copying from a website
• Copying the list of references
• In all cases, student got grade F (9)

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Example 2

• Does the weight of the assignment matter when it
  comes to inappropriate academic behaviour?
• EE 250, an undergrad course in electrical
  circuits I taught.
• A group assignment worth 2 of the course mark.
  Two identical problem sets were received. Two
  groups of two people four people involved.

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Example 2

• (group 1) Student lent his groups finished
  assignment to a member of group 2
• (group 1) Partner didnt know about it!
• (group 2) Copied group 1s assignment and
  handed them in.
• (group 2) Partner was busy and didnt
  participate in any of the work.

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Example 2

• Four people four roles. Consequences
• Participation in an offense grade reduced one
  step
• Not involved
• Plagiarism grade of F (8) one-term
  suspension
• Misrepresentation of facts grade reduced to D

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Example 3

• Several more cases in undergrad electronics
  design labs (these are done in groups of two)
• A group copied the design portion of the report
  from a report from the previous year.
• A group which was repeating the course
  resubmitted the same report they used last term.
• A group included falsified data.

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Beyond coursework

• Academic integrity is much more than just
  coursework.
• Graduate studies brings you into the world of
  research and development.
• Is there more to it than publish or perish?

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A system of trust

• The world of research and development is based on
  a system of trust.
• Especially important in academic environments,
  where advancement and dissemination of knowledge
  are often the main goal.
• Conference abstracts, journal papers, and
  research grant applications are peer-reviewed.

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A system of trust

• Trust levels

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Example Hwang Woo-suk

• Korean scientist
• cloned dog
• cloned human stem cells fabricated data
• Consequences
• loss of employment
• retraction of papers
• financial impropriety investigation

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Example Hwang Woo-suk
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Your most valueable possession

• Your name and reputation is your most valueable
  possession.
• Reputation only has one chance. Once it is
  tarnished, it can never be fully restored.
• When one statement a person makes is discredited,
  everything else that person has said or done is
  also called into question.The Boy Who Cried
  Wolf

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Integrity in life

• Other examples
• RadioShack CEO quits in resumé scandal
• Doping in Olympics
• Austrian ski coach
• Baseball and steroids
• Wikipedia (now former) editor Essjay
• Theme What is your impression about these?

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Why do people do this?

• Are they fools?
• Not necessarily.
• Maybe they think they can get away with it.
• Cheating is ultimately about selfishness.
• If you place concern for others first, before
  consideration for yourself, then the greater good
  is served.

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What happens when trust is broken?

• Harm to ones own reputation
• Harm to others by association
• Loss of credibility
• Your most valueable possession is your name and
  reputation. Once tarnished, it can never be the
  same again.

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Concluding points

• Ethics cannot be taught, only demonstrated.
• Take your work seriously and apply the highest of
  standards.
• Integrity, once damaged, can never be restored to
  its original condition.
• There are dishonest people. Be vigilant.

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Thanks for your attention

• Questions?
• Contact infoJeremy SitElectrical and Computer
  Engineeringjsit_at_ece.ualberta.ca780-492-3937

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Resources

• Truth in Education (TIE)www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/T
  IE
• Office of Student Judicial Affairswww.uofaweb.ual
  berta.ca/OSJA
• Code of Student Behaviourwww.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/
  governance