Things You Don't Want to Do
In a nutshell, five forms of academic dishonesty are:
- Cheating. Some examples of cheating would be: obtaining an unauthorized copy of a test, quiz, assignment, etc.; having someone else do the work for you; using notes, calculators, etc. without authorization while taking a test/quiz or while completing an assignment; changing answers on a graded assignment/quiz/test/etc. and then asking the instructor to re-grade it.
- Fabrication. Some examples of fabrication would be: making up data; changing data to support your hypothesis; claiming to have consulted sources that you really didn't use.
- Plagiarism. This includes presenting someone's words, ideas, or any other work that can be considered intellectual property as if they were your own. Even if you accidentally plagiarize because you forgot to document your sources or inaccurately documented your sources, you could still end up accused of academic dishonesty.
- Multiple submissions. This means, you can't turn in an assignment from a previous quarter for a class you're taking now without permission from your current instructor. If you're taking two classes with a similar assignment and you want to turn in one paper (or project) for both classes, you would have to get permission from both instructors.
- Facilitating academic dishonesty. Some examples of facilitating academic dishonesty would include helping someone else cheat, fabricate, plagiarize or anything else that would compromise his or her academic integrity.
Not Just About School
Did you know that plagiarism has impacts outside of school? In 2003, a New York Times reporter resigned after it was discovered that he had fabricated and plagiarized a number of stories, including a few about missing soldiers in Iraq, an interview with Pfc. Jessica Lynch's father, and even stories about the Washington sniper case in 2002. For students, fabrication and plagiarism will get you kicked out of school. For professionals, fabrication and plagiarism will cost you your job and your reputation.
Kurtz, Howard. "More Reporting by Times Writer Called Suspect." Washington Post 8 May 2003. C01. 13 Aug. 2003
Detailed Definitions
Cheat: According to the Office of the Dean of Students, cheating is “the use of unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise; the alteration of any answers on a graded document before submitting it for re-grading; or the failure to observe the expressed procedures or instructions of an academic exercise.” ("UCLA Student Conduct Code")
Outside of academics, people cheat on their taxes, cheat on their boyfriends or girlfriends, drive in the carpool lane even when they’re alone. Whether you’re cheating in school or cheating somewhere else, cheating is not a good thing.
Fabricate: According to the Office of the Dean of Students, fabrication is “falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise." ("UCLA Student Conduct Code")
Outside of academics, people fabricate excuses and stories for all kinds of things—just think about excuses people use when they’re pulled over by CHP officers on the freeway. Fabricating is essentially lying, so whether you’re at school, at work, or at play, fabricating is not a good thing.
Plagiarism: Presenting someone’s words, ideas, data, or any other work that can be considered intellectual property, as if they were your own. ("UCLA Student Conduct Code").
Multiple Submissions: According to the Office of the Dean of Students, multiple submissions is “resubmission in identical or similar form by a student of any work which has been previously submitted for credit, whether at UCLA or any other school, college, or university in one course to fulfill the requirements of a second course, without the informed permission/consent of the instructor of the second course; or the submission for credit of work submitted for credit, in identical or similar form, in concurrent courses, without the permission/consent of the instructors of both courses.” ("UCLA Student Conduct Code")
Multiple submissions outside of academics—you wouldn’t file the same tax report for 2004 and 2005, right? And you probably wouldn’t wear the same wedding dress to your first, second, and third weddings.
Facilitating Academic Dishonesty: According to the Office of the Dean of Students, facilitating academic dishonesty is “knowingly helping another student commit an act of academic dishonesty.” ("UCLA Student Conduct Code") This is like driving the get away car. Just because you didn't enter the bank and rob it, you'd still go to jail.