Violations of Academic Integrity

Academic dishonesty can take many forms. This document aims to summarize the more common forms of academic dishonesty, but it should not be considered exhaustive. The ultimate authorities on what is permissible in a given course are a professor and his or her syllabus and other course documents, but there are certain standards of academic honesty expected of TCNJ students, and a professor need not specifically prohibit in course documents those behaviors that are universally agreed upon as academic dishonesty (e.g., cheating on an exam).

Plagiarism

Plagiarism occurs when a student submits as their own the work of others. When a student presents the products of another individual’s work (words, images, formulae, music, etc.) without citation or other proper attribution, plagiarism has occurred. This includes but is not limited to copying from a fellow student, copying from an internet source, and copying from a book or other published work.

Cheating

Cheating occurs when a student gains unfair advantage on an exam or other academic activity through any means. Cheating includes but is not limited to copying from another student’s exam, using notes, books, electronic devices, or other aids during an exam when prohibited, stealing an exam or possessing a stolen copy of an exam, using a solutions manual for the completion of an academic activity, and submitting work obtained from another party.

Facilitation

Facilitation occurs when one student knowingly assists in academic dishonesty by another student. Facilitation includes many forms of dishonesty, including but not limited to taking an exam or completing an assignment for another student, holding a seat in a course for another student, providing another student with answers to an exam, and providing materials (laboratory reports, term papers, etc.) to another student with the understanding that they will be used improperly.

Obstruction

Obstruction occurs when a student acts in an improper way and the outcome of that action benefits him or her and/or harms others. Obstruction includes but is not limited to concealing, manipulating, stealing, or destroying resources (library holdings, software, online resources, laboratory or studio equipment, etc.), disrupting or delaying an exam or other academic activity, feigning illness to avoid an exam or other academic activity, and sabotaging the work of others.

Misrepresentation

Misrepresentation occurs when a student submits work that is in some way not what it appears to be. Misrepresentation includes but is not limited to submitting work that contains any falsified elements (data, references, etc.), submitting the work from one course in a second course without the permission of the professor(s) for the second course, and using an AI tool to generate the response to an assignment without the permission of the professor.

Misbehavior

Misbehavior describes all improper actions that are not described elsewhere in this document and are of an academic nature. These actions include but are not limited to intimidating a student, faculty member, or staff member, bribing a student, faculty member, or staff member, collaborating on any academic activity that called for independent work, lying in an academic context, and benefiting from another student’s facilitation (e.g., receiving a saved seat in a course, submitting work completed by another student).

A note on the use of AI

There are many ways AI can be used responsibly in an academic context (e.g.,to spell and grammar check, suggest brainstorming ideas for a paper topic, generate study guides, etc.). There are also instances of AI use that could be considered in violation of academic policy (e.g., using an AI tool to generate a paper instead of writing the paper yourself). A determination of what is acceptable use will vary from class to class and instructor to instructor. Please check with your instructor to ensure that your use of AI would be in accordance with the goals of your course.