Importance of Saving and Cherishing Academic Integrity

Academic dishonesty is one type of cheating on assignments or on examinations. There are many forms of academic dishonesty which includes sharing the homework with another student, collaborating with other students in unauthorized way, altering or constructing any sensitive university related documents, assisting other student to get advantage academically which includes submitting the already used written work again in the other course to get credit and giving someone else permission to perform such acts (UPS 300.21). However, cheating is the actual acquiring or possession of work which is acquired to gain recognition or credit of that piece of work using illegal, dishonest and unofficial way. There are several ways that an individual can perform unauthorized activities to gain credit of that work by making usefulness of non-permitted cheat sheets or notes which includes electronic media sources or assistance from other students during the examination in means that are not authorized by the professor (UPS 300.21).

However, it is very important for all members and students of the university to understand the academic dishonesty thoroughly because academic dishonesty conduct threatens the learning of the student and it has great impact on the credibility of the University in means that it reflects back to the society (UPS 300.21). Moreover, unauthorized collaboration is to work together with other students or in groups in order to work on the assignment which violates the rule set by instructor which will be used for evaluation for grading (Title 5). It is also defined as the working in groups on particular assignment without asking the permission from the instructor which violates the specified rules. However, there are several ways students can utilize to avoid it, students can ask the professor first to grant permission before start working on the assignment with other students. Instructors should go over the academic dishonesty policies each time instructor assign work to the students (Title 5).
Moreover, plagiarism is the act of stealing or copying the work of somebody else writer or author. It is also defined as the use of the information of somebody else without assigning credit to the author. Students often misunderstood where students submit the work of somebody else but illustrate it as their own work. Plagiarism also includes failure to include proper citations in the essays. However, there are several ways which students can adopt to avoid plagiarism completely (UPS 300.21). First of all, students should understand the mean of plagiarism word properly, second, students should cite the sources carefully. If a student uses somebody else data or concept, student should make sure that he documents and cite the source of that concept completely and use clear quotation marks in the essay. After giving credit to the author, student should check their work using various tools to avoid plagiarism completely from that piece of work. At last, student should make this habit of checking and practicing this practice every time at time of submitting or working on particular assignment (UPS 300.21).

Student can properly cite the words of somebody else by using in essay quotation marks and give credit to the author. It is not always enough to merely record the sources in the worked cited page, therefore, student should use quotation marks in essay after finishing that line in the essay (UPS 300.21). Moreover, paraphrasing is the conversion of a passage from author words to own words. It is the modification of the words of original passage of somebody else to different words, but it still retains the original message in it. It also includes to rewording the work of somebody else but contains words still communicate the original meaning in it (UPS 300.21). It is the student responsibility to understand the integrity in the classroom. Student should aware of the current academic dishonesty and integrity policies of the school all the time. According to the Academic Expectations at CSUF, it is stated that, during the classroom, it is the student responsibility to stay honest, firm at moral principles and maintaining integrity in the classroom. Students should be respectful to all other students and instructor where students can practice different respectful manners to ask the instructor. Students should stay honest and learn as much as they can about the school code, must comply to the school codes, understanding attendance policy, come to the class prepared and participate, know the deadlines, results of academic dishonesty, keeping clear records, and showing effective writing and critical thinking skills. Student should make sure that other students are not copying your work directly in the classroom, hence student should report of such actions directly to the instructor (UPS 300.21). After going over the tabs, I have aware myself about the summary of student conduct procedures and sanctions which can be placed on my academic record. I have reviewed the school’s policies thoroughly.

However, I am completely learnt my lesson from this incident which occurred while submitting the work by not using appropriate source. I have learnt the meaning of academic dishonesty by reviewing the school’s policies. I can assure the school that it would not happen again. I will keep in my mind all the school policies, behavior and my responsibility to keep integrity in the classroom. For this violation, instructor failed me from that assignment and placed no credit for that part of assignment (UPS 300.21). By writing this paper on academic integrity helps me to understand academic dishonesty in depth and I can assure the school that I will comply with all school policies and rules all the time (UPS 300.015).