Graduate Student Library Services: Plagiarism & Academic Honesty

The following definition of plagiarism and academic dishonesty comes from the Academic Catalog

Academic integrity is expected and required of all students. Students and faculty are responsible and accountable for personally upholding that integrity. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated, and students found to have engaged in academic dishonesty will be disciplined according to this policy.

Types of Academic Dishonesty. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Copying from another student in a test or examination situation
• Using unauthorized material or aids in the preparation of an assignment or project
• Possessing unauthorized material or aids in a test or examination situation
• Allowing another person to take a test or examination in one’s place; taking a test or examination in another person’s place
• Altering or falsifying academic records in any way
• Submitting false medical, academic or other documentation required by the college
• Improperly obtaining through theft, bribery, collusion, or otherwise any test or examination paper prior to the date and time for writing such test or examination
• Aiding, assisting, or encouraging another to engage in an act of academic dishonesty
• Plagiarizing materials or works, in whole or in part, prepared by another person without citing appropriate reference credit
• Copying and submitting, in whole or in part, the work of another in an assignment, report, project, etc. as one’s own.*
• Claiming to have completed assigned tasks that were, in fact, completed by another person.*
• Failing to accurately document information, wording or visual images obtained on the World Wide Web.*
• Violating federal copyright laws including unauthorized duplication of copyrighted materials.
• *At the instructor’s discretion, so called “self-plagiarism,” or submitting work that was written or completed for one instructor or class to a different instructor or class without the instructor’s knowledge and approval.

When an instructor has reason to believe a student has engaged in academic dishonesty, the instructor will:

1. Confer with student, explain why the instructor believes that academic dishonesty has occurred, and provide support for this assertion.
2. Allow the student to provide an explanation, including supporting evidence (if any).
3. Evaluate the student’s explanation and supporting evidence (if any).
4. Make a determination as to whether a violation of the Academic Dishonesty Policy has occurred. If there is no finding of a policy violation, the matter will be deemed resolved upon written notification of the student. If there is a finding of a policy violation, the instructor (and division chair/dean/graduate program director, if applicable) should complete the Academic Dishonesty Documentation Form.
   1. The instructor will ascertain from the Vice President of Academic Affairs’ assistant whether the student has previously been found to have violated the Academic Dishonesty Policy while enrolled at the College.
   2. If the student has no other substantiated violations of the policy, the instructor will apply an appropriate penalty (see the “Penalties” section below for a list of possible penalties that may be applied when there is a finding of academic dishonesty). The instructor should give due consideration to the seriousness of the offense as well as the impact of the penalty imposed on the student’s education.
   3. If the student has one previous violation of the policy, the instructor should consult with the division chair/dean/graduate program director to determine the appropriate penalty.
   4. If the student has two previous violations of the policy, the automatic penalty is expulsion from the College. The Vice President of Academic Affairs should be notified immediately.
5. 5. Notify the student in writing of the decision as to whether a policy violation has occurred, including any penalties imposed (if applicable). If a violation has occurred, complete and present the Academic Dishonesty Documentation Form to the student. The student’s signature serves as verification of notification. The student may also provide a written response on the form.
6. Provide copies to the student, division chair/dean/graduate program director (if requested), and the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Penalties

A student guilty of cheating will be subject to a penalty appropriate to the nature and seriousness of the offense. A record of all such cases will be kept in the Vice President of Academic Affairs Office. Second offenses for the same individual will be subject to a more serious penalty than the one previously imposed. The following penalties may be applied:

• Reprimand.
• Reduction in grade on the assignment without the opportunity to resubmit.
• Requirement that the student repeats and resubmits the same or alternate assignment. In such cases, the grade or mark awarded will be reduced or limited at the discretion of the faculty member.
• Completion of the Plagiarism Tutorial found at the student’s Moodle site.
• A mark of “0” will be given for the assignment with no opportunity to resubmit. This may result in failure of the course.
• Lowering of final grade in the class by one full letter grade. (This may result in failure of the course.)
• A mark of “0” will be given for the assignment with no opportunity to resubmit, and a lowering of final grade in the class by one full letter grade. (This may result in failure of the course.)
• A failing (F) grade will be awarded in the course.
• Automatic failing (F) grades in all courses in which the student is registered, and no fees will be refunded for that semester. This penalty will only be imposed by the student’s chair/dean/graduate program director with approval from the Chief Academic Officer.
• Expulsion from Missouri Valley College, permanently recorded on the student’s record. This penalty will result in automatic failing (F) grades in all courses in which the student is registered, and no fees will be refunded for that semester. For a third academic dishonesty offense, automatic penalty is expulsion from the College.