Academic integrity includes much more than just avoiding plagiarism and cheating. It encompasses the entire process of completing an assignment or paper—from verifying and selecting credible sources to including your own original and academic voice to using tutoring responsibly.
The UAGC Catalog details academic integrity expectations and the consequences of not meeting expectations.
To understand the full scope of academic integrity and continually develop a lifestyle of academic integrity, follow these steps:
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Perform Academic Research—Not a Google or AI Search
The purpose of academic research is not to get the “right” answer, but rather to explore different perspectives and learn about a topic. Instead of Googling an assignment prompt, use the UAGC Library to research the topics within the assignment prompt. If you need background information on a topic, try one of the encyclopedias or dictionaries within the library.
While generative AI tools are great for brainstorming or gathering general background information, they should not be used as sources within an academic paper. This type of content can be inaccurate. Direct content from generative AI should never be part of a final draft of a paper.
Useful Guide(s):
- Potential Pitfalls of Searching Google- This guide shares how searching Google can lead to unreliable sources and potential for cheating. You'll learn what to use instead of Google.
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How Do I Begin?- This tutorial guides you in making sense of your assignment prompt and provides tips to kick start your research.
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Select Credible Sources
The sources and evidence you select to use for academic assignments should be of a higher caliber than what you use in your daily life and need to be verifiable, accurate, objective, and authoritative. Academic integrity requires selecting and using sources from highly credible authors with highly credible evidence.
Sources provided from generative AI tools should be avoided, as these sources often do not exist and are fabricated. If you do get a source from AI, it is your responsibility to then verify it as an authentic source.
Useful Guide(s):
- Advanced Search Techniques - This guide provides effective search techniques when using the library databases.
- Advanced Internet Search Techniques - This guide can help you have better control of your Google search results and locate credible websites.
- Evaluating Sources – This interactive tutorial provides an overview of different source types, and which types are appropriate for academic research. This resource also includes links to keyword and database search tip tutorials and contains tips for reading a scholarly article.
- Fabricated Reference Citations – This tip sheet provides guidance on determining whether a citation obtained from AI is fake and outlines steps to verify a reference citation.
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Use Credible & Relevant Evidence
You’ve found a verified and credible source, and now you need to select relevant, timely, and appropriate evidence from that source. Academic integrity requires rigorous evaluation of the evidence you use.
Using evidence or information that does not directly support your claims, is no longer valid or in use, or presents your reader with biased or inaccurate information takes you off the path of academic integrity.
Information from generative AI tools should be avoided, as this information can be inaccurate and fabricated and should always be verified by going to the original source and using that source instead.
Useful Guide(s):
- Choosing the Best Sources & Evidence- This guide provides information on selecting a source and selecting appropriate evidence.
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Integrate & Cite Evidence/Sources
Evidence from sources needs to be integrated into your paper and appropriately cited. Academic integrity involves attributing the credit of any theories, ideas, or words to those who contributed to the conversation/topic before you, while using their work as a foundation to build upon.
Generative AI often provides inaccurate or misleading information—anything generated by AI should be verified by you as an academic researcher and writer. Locate the original source of the information to verify it and then cite the original source. Never cite AI as a source for an academic paper.
Useful Guide(s):
- Quoting, Paraphrasing, & Summarizing- This guide provides an overview of when and how to include the ideas or research of others into your writing.
- Academic Body Paragraphs- This guide shows how to develop your body paragraphs so your evidence is included within the paragraph.
- Synthesis- This guide provides information on how to combine ideas from multiple sources into your writing.
- Citing Within your Paper-This guide details when, where, and how to cite the information you use from sources.
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Provide Original Academic Thought & Voice
Including the ideas and research of others is needed for academic writing, but it is not enough to only present what others have said. Academic integrity includes presenting the information from others while also providing your own original and academic thoughts and voice to the conversation.
While generative AI can assist in the planning and revision phases of writing, all words submitted for grading should come directly from you. Copying, pasting, or asking AI to “rewrite” for you may result in unoriginal writing.
Useful Guide(s):
- Using Generative AI (such as Chat GPT) for Research & Writing- This resource explains how to effectively use generative AI for research and writing, what to avoid, and when to disclose the use of AI in your academic work.
- Integrating Research- This guide shows where and how to include evidence, while still providing your original content. This guide can help you to lower your Turnitin score!
- Academic Voice- This resource helps you to write in an academic tone and to appropriately contribute to an academic conversation on a topic (through writing).
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Avoid All Forms of Academic Integrity Violations
Direct cheating is an obvious departure from academic integrity, but a violation of the UAGC Academic Integrity Policy can take many forms and does not always accompany an intent to cheat. Academic integrity requires taking careful steps to avoid all forms of plagiarism—intentional or unintentional. For example, including non-existing and unverified sources in a references list is known as falsification. Providing inaccurate or misleading information in your paper is known as misrepresentation. Both violations can easily happen when attempting to gather information from generative AI without also going directly to the source to verify it.
Useful Guide(s):
- Academic Integrity Policy- The UAGC Catalog details various types of plagiarism and other violations of academic integrity to avoid.
- Plagiarism Guide- This guide summarizes what plagiarism is and some ways to avoid plagiarism.
- Steps to Avoiding Plagiarism- This resource take you through a step-by-step process to avoid plagiarism and provides some fun interactives too.
- Understanding Turnitin Reports- This guide provides an overview of Turnitin’s similarity report and how to interpret that report to establish if plagiarism is occurring.
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Use Tutoring Responsibly
Working with a tutor can help you to increase your knowledge, but it must be done responsibly to maintain your academic integrity. You must produce your own work at all stages and independently meet the expectations of the course. Also, be sure you are working with a UAGC-approved tutor through Canvas. Some tutoring sites market themselves as tutoring but are actually exploiting student work. Beware of “tutors” that reach out through social media who are also attempting to intercept and sell your work or use your login credentials to work on your assignments. Do not share your login credentials with others as this is a violation of the Student Community Standards. Students are responsible for submitting original and independent work.
Useful Guide(s):
- Get the Most from Your Tutoring Session- This article provides some ways you can prepare for and use tutoring supports responsibly.
- Preparing for a Tutoring Session- This graphic gives examples of how to work with a tutor to maintain academic integrity.
- Protect Yourself from Scam Tutoring Sites- This graphic gives examples of what to look out for and what to use instead.
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Maintain Personal Responsibility and Continual Improvement
Personal responsibility is the view that you are ultimately responsible for your academic choices and the consequences of those choices.
- Be aware of academic integrity expectations.
- Understand how to choose credible and reliable sources.
- Never rely on others to ensure you have cited appropriately.
- Know that unintentional plagiarism is still plagiarism.
- Use tutoring responsibly, use responsible tutoring sites (UAGC-provided), and never allow your tutor to edit or produce any of your assignment for you or with you.
- Independently produce your own work for assignments and do not share your work with others.
Continual improvement is the view that as a student, you are continually learning how to meet academic integrity expectations and striving to exceed them.
- Ask if you are unsure. Use Turnitin.
- Use the resources provided here to help you meet expectations.
- Evaluate sources carefully for credibility.
- Include your own analysis and academic voice/stance to all academic work.
- Check your academic work, looking for potential issues with academic integrity.
- Become an independent and life-long learner.