Academic Integrity Resources for Advisors

Academic Integrity Session Led by Advisors

By the time you meet with your students, most will have already completed the required AI Module, so I do not recommend that you use the session to go over minute details of the system. Note: Students no longer receive a hard copy of the AI Handbook. The handbook is available electronically

Setting the tone:

I suggest you try to find a balance between sobering them up to how serious a violation can be AND appealing to their genuine desire not to cheat.  AI is central to the college's identity as an institution that promotes gaining knowledge and acknowledging the work of others in that pursuit.  You can acknowledge that most students caught seem to express genuine regret, and that usually circumstances clouded their judgment and led to the violation.  They need to be prepared to resist that temptation-through reaffirming their own commitments to succeeding on their own and through realizing how damaging a violation can be to completing their degree on time and with the respect of their professors (and their own self-respect).

Talking points:

Talk about Academic Integrity generally: 

Talk about integrity as something you have (an attitude; a set of values).

Talk about integrity as something you learn (how to use quotation marks; how to cite; how to paraphrase; how to work carefully to avoid forgetting doing those); emphasize that they may need help to maintain their integrity (from professors or CLT).

Talk about integrity as the foundation for all kinds of positive relationships--with each other and with professors. Don't be afraid to get personal:  Talk about why integrity is important to you and what you are trying to achieve as a professor.

Emphasize personal responsibility:

Students need to ask for clarification on allowable collaboration.

Students unsure about citation /paraphrase need to seek help from professor or the writing center.

Students need to insure the integrity of their own work (this includes not allowing others access to their work even just to "help someone out").

Students need to plan ahead so that circumstances don't lead to the temptation to cheat/plagiarize.

The transcripts of these videos come directly from letters written by students who had been charged with an AI violation.

Student 1    Student 2    Student 3    Student 4    Student 5

The transcripts of these videos come directly from RC faculty. There's great advice here!

Faculty 1    Faculty 2   Faculty 3    Faculty 4    Faculty 5   Faculty 6    Faculty 7

Talk about violations: why they are wrong and strategies to avoid them:

use of an electronic device during a testing period--why can't I check my messages during a quiz?

collaboration--how do you know what is allowable? why don't professors allow collaboration on all assignments? why shouldn't I "help" my friends by showing them my work? how can I say "no" to a friend who asks for help?

lying to improve your grade/standing--what's the big deal with a "white lie?"

failing to acknowledge the source of ideas and words in written work--why does anyone care who thought of these ideas first? why should anyone care if I use other people's words?

If your students ask about the AI Module:

All new students must complete the AI Module, which has been available to them since mid July. The Module is administered through an Inquire site. 

Failure to complete the Module will result in a hold on their registration for Spring semester. 

Encourage students to:

Read every syllabus

Be careful with collaborative assignments

Don't let the short term crisis ruin the long term outlook

Live up to their own standards of behavior