Definitions and expectations: Academic integrity is the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and responsible manner. Academic integrity is a basic guiding principle for all academic activity at the Pennsylvania State University, and all members of the University community are expected to act in accordance with this principle. Consistent with this expectation, the University's Code of conduct states that all students should act with personal integrity, respect other student's dignity, rights and property, and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their efforts.
Academic integrity includes a commitment not to engage in or tolerate acts of falsification, misrepresentation or deception. Such acts of dishonesty violate the fundamental ethical principles of the University community and compromise the worth of work completed by others.
Violations of Academic Integrity include (but are not limited to) the following practices:
Cheating
Using a crib sheet; preprogramming a calculator; using books or notes during a closed book exam, etc.
Copying on a Test
Looking at another unsuspecting student's exam and copying; copying in a complicit manner with another student; exchanging color-coded exams for the purpose of copying; passing answers via notes; discussing answers in exam, etc.
Plagiarism
The fabrication of information and citations; submitting others' work from professional journals, books articles papers, and the Internet; submission of other students' papers or lab results or project reports and representing the work as one's own; fabricating in part or total, submissions and citing them falsely, etc.
Acts of Aiding or Abetting
Facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others; unauthorized collaboration of work; permitting another to copy from one's exam; writing a paper for another; inappropriately collaborating on a home assignment or exam without permission or when prohibited, etc.
Unauthorized Possession
Of examinations, through purchase or supply; stealing exams; failing to return exams on file; selling exams; photocopying exams; buying exams; any possession of an exam without the custodian's permission, etc.
Submitting Previous Work
Submitting a paper, case study, lab report or any assignment that had been submitted for credit in a prior or concurrent course without the knowledge and permission of the instructor.
Tampering With Work
Changing one's own or another student's work product such as lab results, papers, or test answers; tampering with work either as a prank or to sabotage another's work.
Ghosting
Taking a quiz, an exam, performing a laboratory exercise or similar evaluation in place of another; having another take a quiz, an exam, or perform an exercise or similar evaluation in place of oneself, etc.
Altering Exams
Changing incorrect answers on graded exams or other forms of evaluation when they are passed back to students for in-class review; changing the letter and/or numerical grade on a test, etc.
Computer Program Theft
Electronic theft of computer programs, data or text belonging to another, etc.
A student caught committing any of these violations will be subject to a sanction ranging from a documented official warning to failure of the course. In extreme cases, or in the case of previous violations, students may be subject to formal university disciplinary action.
A student has the right to contest an instructor's accusation and/or sanction and may seek a hearing before the College Academic Integrity Committee