Academic Dishonesty & Plagiarism
Academic dishonesty may take many forms, including that of deliberate plagiarism. Academically dishonest acts include copying computer programs written by other students, creating fake laboratory data or other records and misrepresenting them as descriptions of actual observations, or any other form of intentional misrepresentation for the purpose of receiving a higher evaluation than is merited or to cause another student to receive a lower evaluation than is merited. Penn College condemns such behavior. Offenders will be subject to disciplinary action according to the College's Code of Conduct.
Intentional plagiarism is academically dishonest and unethical. Even unintentional plagiarism may provoke legal action against you by the author of the work plagiarized. Too often, writers and speakers do not understand the scope of plagiarism.
Academic Dishonesty Defined
Cheating - A student can be accused of academic dishonesty if he/she uses, or attempts to use, unauthorized assistance (e.g., asking someone else for an answer during a test, copying answers from another person?s paper during a test, etc.), uses unauthorized study aids in examinations or other academic work (i.e., ?cheat sheets? or textbooks/notes when that use has been disallowed by the faculty), or submits the work of another as his/her own.
Plagiarism - A student can be accused of academic dishonesty if he/she uses the ideas, data or language of another without specific or proper acknowledgment.
Fabrication - A student can be accused of academic dishonesty if he/she submits, or attempts to submit material that is contrived or altered (e.g., making up data for an experiment, misrepresenting data, citing nonexistent articles, contriving sources, falsifying design and/or troubleshooting data, or padding estimates with intent to defraud customers, etc.).
Multiple submission - A student can be accused of academic dishonesty if he/she submits, without prior permission, any work previously submitted to fulfill another academic requirement (e.g., the unauthorized submission of a pre-existing paper or project).
Misrepresentation of academic records - A student may be accused of academic dishonesty if he/she misrepresents, tampers with or attempts to tamper with any portion of a student?s transcripts or academic record (e.g., changing one?s grade, altering computer records, falsifying academic information on one?s resume, etc.).
Facilitating Academic Dishonesty - A student may be accused of academic dishonesty if he/she knowingly helps or attempts to help another violate the principles of academic integrity (e.g., working together on a take-home exam without instructor permission, providing another student with a pre-written paper or test, unauthorized collaboration of any kind, including online testing, giving answers to lab projects with the intent to help students take practical exams, etc.).
Unfair Advantage - A student may be accused of academic dishonesty if he/she attempts to gain unauthorized advantage over fellow students (e.g., acquiring unauthorized access to exam materials, preventing or interfering with another student?s efforts, lying about a need for an extension for an exam or paper, continuing to write even when time is up during an exam, destroying or keeping library materials for one?s own use, holding equipment back so students are slowed or unable to complete labs, etc.).
Violating known safety requirements - A student may be accused of academic dishonesty if he/she acts so as to have unfair advantage during lab assignments and project testing, grading or jeopardizes the health, well-being of the students or others around him so as to gain unfair advantage on lab assignments or graded projects.
Ethical misconduct - A student may be accused of academic dishonesty if he/she violates client confidentiality or interferes with, alters, falsifies or inappropriately accesses or discloses client and/or agency or company records or trade secrets without authorization.
If a student is unsure whether his/her action(s) constitute a violation of the Code of Conduct, then it is that student?s responsibility to consult with the instructor to clarify any ambiguities.