Academic Integrity and Scholastic Dishonesty

Never copy another person's work, unless you put it in quotations and cite exactly what you are copying, who said it, and where it was printed. Even if you just borrow someone else's idea without quoting it word for word, you must cite where you got the idea. Severe penalties can occur if you copy without giving proper credit. This is known as plagiarism and is one example of scholastic dishonesty. Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to, plagiarism, cheating, collusion, falsifying academic records, and any act designed to give unfair advantage to the student, or the attempt to commit such an act. Detailed definitions of these infractions are found in the General Information Catalog.

Their definitions include (taken directly from the website): 

1. Copying – copying answers or information from another individual’s academic assignment;

2. Failure to Comply with Instructions – failing to comply with instructions pertaining to an academic assignment or course requirement, and where that failure results in an unfair academic advantage;

3. Unauthorized Materials – obtaining, using, or possessing materials without authorization, including but not limited to class notes, textbooks, calculators, online resources, and/or electronic devices;

4. Unauthorized Aid or Assistance – providing aid or assistance to, or utilizing aid or assistance from, another individual or source without authorization, and pertaining to an academic assignment or course requirement;

5. Substitution – substituting for another person, or permitting another person to substitute, to attend a class or complete any academic assignment or other course requirement;

6. Falsification or Fabrication – falsifying or fabricating any information, data, or citation in any academic work offered for credit, or work done in conjunction with the completion of course or degree requirements;

7. Plagiarism

8. ​Collusion – unauthorized collaboration with another student or students;

9. Failure to Follow Course Requirements – conduct that fails to adhere to standards promulgated by an academic unit or Faculty Member, and that is not otherwise constitutionally protected;

10.  Other Academic Misconduct – any activity in which a student receives or attempts to receive an unfair academic advantage.

In addition, the University of Texas has an Honor Code that every student agrees to when they enroll and register for courses:

Affirmation

I pledge, as a member of the University of Texas community, to do my work honestly, respectfully, and through the intentional pursuit of learning and scholarship.

Elaboration

I pledge to be honest about what I create and to acknowledge what I use that belongs to others.

I pledge to value the process of learning in addition to the outcome, while celebrating and learning from mistakes.

This code encompasses all of the academic and scholarly endeavors of the university community.

Doctoral students are also researchers and must also hold themselves to a high standard of integrity while conducting their research.

 Research Misconduct is covered under UT’s Handbook of Operating Procedure (HOP) 7-1230. Research misconduct is “The intentional, knowing, or reckless fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism in proposing, performing or reviewing research, or in reporting research results…Research Misconduct does not include honest error or differences in interpretations or judgments of data, scholarly or political disagreements, good-faith personal or professional opinions, private moral or ethical behavior or views, or authorship or collaboration disputes unless such disputes also involve Research Misconduct as defined by this policy.”

Definitions of these types of misconduct include (taken directly from the HOP):

• Fabrication is the making up of data or results and recording or reporting them as true.

• Falsification is the manipulation of research materials, equipment, or processes, or change or omission of data or results such that the research is inaccurately represented in the research record.

• Plagiarism is the appropriation of another person’s ideas, processes, results, or words without giving appropriate credit.

The Dean of Students Office also has resources for avoiding academic integrity problems, including links on avoiding plagiarism, collusion as academic misconduct, and providing or receiving aid or assistance. Both the University Writing Center and the Graduate School offer resources on avoiding copyright, plagiarism, and other ethical issues that occur within the academic world.