Introduction:
Academic
integrity
means
making
ethical
decisions,
asking
questions
and
following
instructions,
even
when
faced
with
difficult
situations.
These
skills
are
important
now
and
in
your
careers
where
your
success
and
your
reputation
are
at
stake.
Let's
spend
a
few
minutes
together
thinking
more
about
these
issues
and
how
the
transition
to
online
learning
has
affected
them
Academic
Integrity
Online:
Some
students
commit
academic
integrity
violations
unknowingly
because
in
some
cases
it
can
be
difficult
to
know
what
is
considered
an
offense,
but
other
students
commit
offenses
knowingly,
particularly
when
they
feel
pressure
or
unprepared
for
a
test,
or
they
think
they're
helping
out
a
friend
or
they
don't
have
the
courage
to
say
no
to
someone
who's
pressuring
them
for
inappropriate
help.
Regardless
of
why
it
happens,
all
such
infractions
are
serious
and
can
have
significant
consequences
even
if
you're
not
caught.
Online
learning
has
changed
how
we
learn
and
how
we
are
assessed
and
has
opened
up
new
opportunities
to
act
honestly
or
dishonestly
but
upholding
academic
integrity
in
an
online
environment
is
as
important
as
ever.
Cheating:
So
what
is
cheating?
Policy
71
defines
it
as
trying
to
gain
or
give
an
improper
advantage
in
an
academic
evaluation.
For
example,
if
you're
asked
to
complete
an
online
test
independently,
you
would
be
cheating
if
you
used
an
unauthorized
aid,
such
as
a
solutions
manual
or
an
online
homework
service
or
an
online
calculator,
or
if
you
obtained
unauthorized
assistance
from
a
classmate
or
participated
in
a
group
chat
during
the
test.
Remember
that
just
checking
your
answers
against
what's
posted
or
looking
for
tips
on
how
to
proceed
is
also
cheating.
On
the
other
hand,
using
aids
and
seeking
assistance
while
you're
doing
ungraded
work
is
almost
always
permitted
to
some
degree
and
can
be
helpful
if
you're
looking
for
similar
problems
or
extra
practice,
or
if
you're
verifying
your
answers.
It's
your
responsibility
as
a
student
to
understand
expectations
for
each
of
your
courses,
and
if
you're
not
sure
what's
allowed,
ask.
Unauthorized
Collaboration:
Unauthorized
collaboration
is
a
type
of
cheating.
It
means
cooperating
with
others
in
whole
or
in
part
beyond
what
the
instructor
has
said
is
acceptable.
Obvious
examples
include
working
with
other
students
on
a
test
that's
to
be
done
individually
or
working
together
to
complete
an
assignment
that's
meant
to
be
done
individually.
A
less
obvious
example
is
students
sharing
their
detailed
work
on
a
project
where
only
high
level
collaboration
is
permitted.
If
you're
not
sure
what
degree
of
group
work
is
permitted,
ask
your
instructor
before
collaborating.
You
want
to
know
where
the
line
between
authorized
and
unauthorized
collaboration
lies
so
that
you
don't
cross
over
it.
Another
example
of
unauthorized
collaboration
is
getting
too
much
help
from
tutors
on
assignments.
In
general,
tutors
should
not
be
doing
or
changing
your
work.
They
can
make
suggestions
on
how
to
improve
your
work
or
help
you
better
understand
and
apply
course
concepts,
but
all
the
work
you
submit
must
be
your
own.
Of
course,
where
collaboration
is
permitted,
you
should
not
hesitate
to
seek
out
help
from
the
instructor,
a
TA,
other
students,
a
peer
success
coach
or
a
tutor
provided
you
follow
the
constraints
laid
out
by
the
instructor.
Other
Related
Academic
Offences:
Many
students
don't
realize
that
often
one
act
of
cheating
can
involve
other
related
academic
offenses.
Examples
of
additional
offenses
are
plagiarism,
theft
of
intellectual
property,
sharing
of
confidential
academic
material
and
copyright
infringement.
Some
of
these
secondary
offenses
are
extremely
serious,
with
severe
consequences.
For
example,
the
standard
penalty
for
theft
of
intellectual
property
includes
a
two-term
suspension.
Simulate
an
In-Person
Test
Environment:
A
great
practice
for
online
tests
is
to
simulate
an
in-person
test
environment.
Minimize
the
temptation
and
opportunities
to
cheat,
put
away
your
phone,
close
all
browser
windows
except
those
permitted
for
the
test,
remove
all
prohibited
aides,
refuse
to
communicate
with
others
in
any
manner
during
the
test.
These
steps
will
also
help
minimize
distractions
while
you're
writing
your
test.
Is
It
Worth
It?
Do
a
Cost-Benefit
Analysis!:
The
maximum
benefit
of
one
act
of
cheating
is
typically
at
most
a
small
boost
in
your
overall
average,
but
the
costs
are
high.
Cheating
is
not
a
victimless
crime.
It
undermines
the
value
of
a
University
of
Waterloo
degree.
It
undermines
the
integrity
of
the
engineering
profession.
Cheating
hurts
fellow
students
who
are
also
feeling
stress
and
challenges,
but
who
do
not
succumb
to
the
temptation
to
cheat
and
don't
kid
yourself,
It
carries
great
personal
risk.
Virtually
all
courses
in
engineering
build
on
one
another
and
cheating
will
catch
up
to
you
eventually.
It's
in
your
interest
to
develop
your
skills
and
practice
integrity
rather
than
rely
on
dishonest
methods.
Cheating
is
a
slippery
slope.
If
you
cheat,
even
if
you're
not
caught,
you'll
have
to
live
with
the
guilt
of
knowing
your
marks
do
not
truly
reflect
your
abilities
or
what
you've
learned,
and
your
degree
will
be
stained.
In
the
future
you
won't
be
able
to
look
someone
in
the
eye
when
questioned
about
your
own
honesty
or
past
behavior.
And
if
you're
caught,
the
penalties
you
may
face
will
harm
you
far
more
than
having
a
slightly
lower
mark.
Penalties
for
a
first
offense
including
getting
zero
on
the
entire
exam
or
assignment,
additional
mark
reductions,
a
course
failure,
and
possibly
a
suspension.
I
encourage
you
to
decide
right
now,
before
temptation
arises,
to
act
with
integrity.
Have
courage
to
tell
others
that
cheating
is
wrong.
It
takes
courage
to
be
a
leader,
but
one
day
you
can
look
back
proudly
at
your
behavior
during
the
pandemic
and
you'll
be
able
to
encourage
other
people,
perhaps
your
own
employees
or
your
own
children
to
act
with
integrity,
too.
Learn
More
About
Academic
Integrity
Guideline:
if
you
have
any
questions
about
academic
integrity,
talk
to
your
instructor
or
the
Associate
Dean
for
Undergraduate
Studies.
For
additional
resources,
visit
the
Office
of
Academic
Integrity's
website
or
consult
Policy
71.