Academic Integrity Policy

Barbara R. Blackburn, Ph.D.

Winthrop University, Richard W. Riley College of Education

. I.                    A component of professional behavior is academic integrity.  Please refer to the Graduate Catalog and the Student Handbook should you need clarification as to the academic integrity policy.  In particular, please note that if a student violates the academic honor code, which includes plagiarism and cheating, an F will be automatically issued for the class.

II.                 Examples of Plagiarism:

a.      When the student quotes the author’s words without proper parenthetical documentation or without appropriate citations.

b.      When the student quotes the author’s words without enclosing them in quotation marks, even if the student has provided parenthetical documentation.

c.      When the student fails to use his own words and his own sentence structure in paraphrasing.  (Merely changing a few words or simply rearranging the words in the source is not paraphrasing.)

d.      When the student fails to parenthetically document paraphrased material.

e.      When the student fails to appropriately cite a lesson plan or idea adapted for the student’s use.  (In all cases, students should adapt a lesson plan and explain the adaptations—a copied lesson plan, even with citations, is unacceptable.)

III.               Duplication of work.  It is unacceptable to turn in one paper for two different classes, or to turn in work done for a different purpose (such as a presentation) for a class project.  It may be possible to do research on the same topic for two courses, and even share some sources between the two projects, however, it must be clear where any overlap occurs, and both professors must agree in advance that the student may do this.

Blackburn, January 2003