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[2018] Academic Integrity Tutorial: Learning Activities

Blatant vs Ambiguous Misconduct

A blurb about the ambiguous nature of unintentional misconduct:

Within the field of academic integrity, there are two categories of academic misconduct, each posing an equally serious problem. Blatant misconduct, which is less rampant, is easy to recognize and avoid. Ambiguous misconduct is often committed unintentionally and is mostly attributable to a lack of knowledge, understanding, and/or planning. In fact, there is a complex interaction between ‘intent’ and ‘honest error’1, which makes it difficult to recognize ambiguous misconduct. This presents challenges for both faculty and students, making it necessary to clearly articulate what the rules are and, above all, what the expectations are of students.

Activity 1 - Misconduct Adjudication

This activity will help you to recognize academic misconduct and the common pitfalls to avoid. With the help of pages 6 and 7 of the "Student Academic Misconduct Regulations", determine how the following cases might be judged. 

Would you say these scenarios do or do not constitute academic misconduct? If you are unsure, find the answer by referring to the regulations or by clicking the link 'Not Sure'.

Student A wrote an excellent paper in a high school psychology class. They decide to use that paper as an introduction to their first year psychology paper. They do not include a citation because it is their own work.
Misconduct: 14466 votes (77.67%)
Not Misconduct: 3177 votes (17.06%)
Not Sure: 982 votes (5.27%)
Total Votes: 18625
Student B worked collaboratively with a friend on a take-home exam after being told by their friend that they have consent from the instructor to do so.
Misconduct: 9147 votes (49.59%)
Not Misconduct: 7923 votes (42.96%)
Not Sure: 1374 votes (7.45%)
Total Votes: 18444
Student C was running out of time and forgot to write down the page number for the quotation they put in their essay. They need to get the assignment in on time, so they make-up the page number believing the prof won't notice or check.
Misconduct: 16684 votes (94.58%)
Not Misconduct: 599 votes (3.4%)
Not Sure: 357 votes (2.02%)
Total Votes: 17640
Student D used images from a website; they claimed they had found no copyright information either on the images or elsewhere on the site.
Misconduct: 14627 votes (83.05%)
Not Misconduct: 1752 votes (9.95%)
Not Sure: 1234 votes (7.01%)
Total Votes: 17613
Student E required a medical note to be excused from an exam but could not get an appointment with the doctor on the day of the exam. They decide to alter the date on the medical note.
Misconduct: 16728 votes (96.98%)
Not Misconduct: 338 votes (1.96%)
Not Sure: 183 votes (1.06%)
Total Votes: 17249
Student F worked collaboratively on an assignment with several classmates. Pressed for time, they decide to split up parts of the assignment and then put it together later to submit individually.
Misconduct: 13865 votes (79.75%)
Not Misconduct: 2819 votes (16.22%)
Not Sure: 701 votes (4.03%)
Total Votes: 17385
Student G missed a test due to illness. They receive information about the format of the test from a classmate in order to prepare for the makeup test.
Misconduct: 15108 votes (87.99%)
Not Misconduct: 1701 votes (9.91%)
No Sure: 361 votes (2.1%)
Total Votes: 17170
Student H rewords a paragraph from their lecture notes without referencing it, thinking their professor will know where it came from.
Misconduct: 15962 votes (93.79%)
Not Misconduct: 714 votes (4.2%)
Not Sure: 342 votes (2.01%)
Total Votes: 17018
Student J’s lab report was damaged, and so they alter their lab data to complete an assignment.
Misconduct: 16517 votes (95.94%)
Not Misconduct: 432 votes (2.51%)
Not Sure: 267 votes (1.55%)
Total Votes: 17216

Activity 2 - Spot Your Inner Dialogue

When it comes to completing your coursework with integrity, your inner dialogue may be challenging. The temptation to rationalize minor acts of misconduct can be compelling, especially when pressed for time. Some thoughts might lead to taking questionable shortcuts which might, in turn, compromise integrity. In the activity below, identify the negative thoughts that might compromise academic integrity and the positive thoughts that uphold academic integrity.

Dig a Little Deeper

If you have time: 

Review the Turnitin Plagiarism Spectrum to become even more familiar with the most common pitfalls (practices that could lead to misconduct).

The University of Waterloo offers more scenarios to explore. To hone your academic integrity skills, consider the breach of academic integrity associated with each situation.

The University of Toronto lists common academic misconduct pitfalls. Click on the links to discover the strategies recommended for how to avoid each pitfall.

1. The Expert Panel on Research Integrity, Honesty, Accountability and Trust: Fostering Research integrity in Canada. Ottawa: Council of Canadian Academics, 2010, p46.

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