Academic Integrity

14.0 Academic Integrity

14.1 Introduction

Carleton University is a community of scholars dedicated to teaching, learning and research. Sound scholarship rests on a commitment to a code of academic integrity that stresses principles of honesty, trust, respect, fairness and responsibility. The University demands integrity of scholarship from all of its members including students. The quality and integrity of academic work is paramount in achieving student success.

The University states unequivocally that it demands academic integrity from all its members. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form is ultimately destructive to the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to those students who pursue their studies honestly. The integrity of university academic life and the degrees conferred by the university is dependent upon the honesty and soundness of scholarship. Conduct by any person that adversely affects this process is a serious matter. Students who violate the principles of academic integrity through dishonest practices undermine the value of the Carleton degree. Dishonesty in scholarly activity cannot be tolerated. Any student who violates the standards of academic integrity will be subject to appropriate sanctions.

14.2 The Policy

The University has adopted a policy to deal with allegations of academic misconduct. This policy is expressed in the document Carleton University Academic Integrity Policy, effective July 1, 2006. The policy describes in detail its scope of application, principles, definitions, rights and responsibilities, academic integrity standards, procedures, sanctions, transcript notations, appeal process, and records implications.

The complete policy is available at: carleton.ca/studentaffairs/academic-integrity

14.3 Academic Integrity Standards

From the Academic Integrity Policy (Section VI)

Effective adherence to academic integrity requires that students understand the meaning of academic dishonesty. The following list describes conduct that violates standards of academic integrity which may lead to the imposition of sanctions pursuant to this policy. It is important to note that this is not a comprehensive list and should not be viewed as exhaustive.

1. Plagiarism

Plagiarism is presenting, whether intentional or not, the ideas, expression of ideas or work of others as one's own. Plagiarism includes reproducing or paraphrasing portions of someone else's published or unpublished material, regardless of the source, and presenting these as one's own without proper citation or reference to the original source. Examples of sources from which the ideas, expressions of ideas or works of others may be drawn from include but are not limited to: books, articles, papers, literary compositions and phrases, performance compositions, chemical compounds, art works, laboratory reports, research results, calculations and the results of calculations, diagrams, constructions, computer reports, computer code/software, and material on the Internet.

Examples of plagiarism include, but are not limited to:

• submitting a takehome examination, essay, laboratory report or other assignment written, in whole or in part, by someone else;
• using ideas or direct, verbatim quotations, paraphrased material, algorithms, formulae, scientific or mathematical concepts, or ideas without appropriate acknowledgment in any academic assignment;
• using another's data or research findings;
• submitting a computer program developed in whole or in part by someone else, with or without modifications, as one's own;
• failing to acknowledge sources through the use of proper citations when using another's works and/or failing to use quotation marks.

2. Unauthorized Resubmission of Work

A student shall not submit substantially the same piece of work for academic credit more than once without prior written permission of the course instructor in which the submission occurs. Minor modifications and amendments, such as phraseology in an essay or paper do not constitute significant and acceptable reworking of an assignment.

3. Unauthorized Cooperation or Collaboration

An important and valuable component of the learning process is the progress a student can make as result of interacting with other students. In struggling together to master similar concepts and problems and in being exposed to each other's views and approaches, group of students can enhance and speed the learning process. Carleton University encourages students to benefit from these activities. However, it is also critically important that each individual student's abilities and achievements form the basis of the evaluation of that student's progress. As result, while collaboration is supported as being beneficial for various components of course and is generally encouraged, instructors typically limit the amount of collaboration allowed and communicate this to students in the course outlines. To ensure fairness and equity in assessment of term work, students shall not cooperate or collaborate in the completion of an academic assignment, in whole or in part, when the instructor has indicated that the assignment is to be completed on an individual basis. Failure to follow the instructor's directions regarding which assignments, or parts of assignments, should be completed by the individual alone will be considered violation of the standards of academic integrity.

4. Misrepresentation

Students shall not submit or present false assignments, research, credentials, or other documents or misrepresent material facts for any academic purpose. Examples of misrepresentation include but are not limited to:

• research or lab results and data;
• concocted facts or references;
• medical or compassionate certificates;
• admission documents;
• letters of support or other letters of reference;
• academic records, transcripts, diplomas or other registrarial records;
• misrepresenting the date or time of submission;
• changing a score or record of an examination result and/or
• altering graded work for resubmission.

5. Impersonation

It is a violation of the standards of academic integrity to impersonate another person or enter into an arrangement with another to be impersonated by any means for the purposes of gaining academic advantage including in the taking of examinations, tests, or the carrying out of laboratory or other assignments.

6. Withholding

It is a violation of the standards of academic integrity to withhold records, transcripts or other academic documents to mislead or gain unfair academic advantage.

7. Obstruction and Interference

It is a violation of the standards of academic integrity to obstruct or otherwise interfere with the scholarly activities of another in order to gain unfair academic advantage. This includes but is not limited to interfering or tampering with data or files, with human or animal research subjects, with a written or other creation (e.g. painting, sculpture, file), with a chemical used for research, with any other object or study or research device or with library, electronic or other materials intended for academic use.

8. Disruption of Classroom Activities or Periods of Instruction

Carleton University has a commitment to provide a safe environment for learning. It is a violation of the standards of academic integrity for student registered in class to disrupt the class or other period of instruction with any action or behaviour reasonably judged by the instructor, lab assistant or tutorial assistant to be detrimental to the class. Normally disruption of activities outside of the classroom or outside of periods of instruction or by a student not registered in the class is dealt with under the Student Rights and Responsibilities Policy,  but in particular cases may be subject also to this Policy.

9. Improper Access

It is a violation of the standards of academic integrity to improperly obtain access to confidential information such as examinations or test questions or to gain undue academic advantage as result of such behaviour.

10. Improper Dissemination

It is a violation of the standards of academic integrity to publish, disseminate or otherwise make public to third party without prior written consent, confidential information. Confidential information includes but is not limited to academic information, data or documents which are not otherwise publicly available and which have been gathered or held with reasonable expectation of confidentiality. In particular, students are expected to follow the Carleton University Policies and Procedures for the Ethical Conduct of Research.

11. Assisting in the Violation of the Standards of Academic Integrity

To assist anyone in violating the standards of academic integrity is itself violation of academic integrity standards and subject to this policy. For example, giving another student an assignment that you have submitted for another class and allowing that student to copy parts of the assignment and submit it as his/her own work would be a violation of this policy.

12. Tests and Examinations

The University is committed to ensuring fairness and consistency in the completion of examinations. As part of this commitment, students are required to follow proper examinations procedures. A student who commits a violation of this policy on an examination, test, or takehome examination, or obtains or produces an answer or unfair advantage by deceit, fraud, or trickery, or by an act contrary to the rules of the examination are subject to the sanction under this Policy.

These rules include but are not limited to:

• bringing to the examination/test room any textbook, notebook, memorandum, other written material or mechanical or electronic device not authorized by the examiner
• writing an examination or part of it, or consulting any person or materials outside the confines of the examination room without permission to do so
• leaving answer papers exposed to view
• attempts to read other students' examination papers and/or speak to or communicate with another student (even if the subject matter is irrelevant to the test).

A violation of this policy may also occur by breaching one of the formal examination rules included on the back of the examination booklet. (These rules are outlined in Appendix A of the Policy, and in Section 14.6 of these Regulations.)

14.4 Procedures

Instructors, advisors and/or supervisors must report all suspected cases of violation of the Academic Integrity Policy to the Faculty Dean. Details of the procedures to be followed in the event of a suspected violation can be found in Section VII, Procedures, of the Carleton University Academic Integrity Policy at carleton.ca/studentsupport

14.5 Sanctions

In cases where an investigation determines that a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy has occurred, sanctions may be applied by the Faculty Dean, the Provost and Vice President (Academic), or by Senate Executive.

Sanctions may include but are not limited to completion of a remediation process, a written reprimand, assignment of a failing grade, withdrawal from a course, suspension from a program, suspension or expulsion from the university. Sanctions may be used independently or in combination for any single violation. This list is not exhaustive and intended only as a guide. For a complete description of possible sanctions, consult Section IX, Sanctions, of the Carleton University Academic Integrity Policy, available at: carleton.ca/studentsupport

14.6 Examination Regulations

The University is committed to ensuring fairness and consistency in the completion of examinations. As part of this commitment, students are required to follow proper examinations procedures. An instructional Offence may occur by breaking one of the following formal examination rules that are also included on the back of the examination booklet. Students who believe they qualify for an equity exemption from any of these rules should register with the appropriate department within the required notice period prior to each examination period: Equity Services for Family Status or Religious Observance (carleton.ca/equity); or Paul Menton Centre for Students with Disabilities (carleton.ca/pmc).

Only authorized individuals, registered support persons, service animals and adaptive devices will be permitted into Examination Sites. For the purpose of this Regulation authorized individuals are students registered in the course being examined, instructors and their assistants, and staff of the University. Any student who requires a support person, service animal or adaptive device during an examination is required to register with the Paul Menton Centre for Students with Disabilities (carleton.ca/pmc), and only registered support persons, service animals or adaptive devices will be permitted into examination sites as arranged in advance of the examination date.

1. You may not bring to your seat in the Examination Room, or during the examination refer to, any books, papers, audio or electronic devices or other aids unless the use of such material/equipment is authorized by the examiner on the examination paper.
2. You may not communicate in any manner with anyone except proctors or instructors from the time your examination begins until your completed examination has been collected by a proctor.
3. You must provide your own printed name, student number, and signature on the Examination Signing Sheet, and you may not leave the Examination Room until this has been done. You must also provide official identification in the form of your Carleton University Campus Card or equivalent.
4. You may not enter the Examination Room after the first half-hour of the examination.
5. You may not leave the Examination Room during the first half-hour of the examination, except under circumstances described in Rule f below, and you must sign the Examination Signing Sheet, as in Rule c above, before leaving.
6. If you become ill or receive word of a domestic emergency during an examination, hand in your answer books at once to a proctor and request that your examination be cancelled. In addition to appropriate supporting documentation, a "Cancellation of Centrally Scheduled Exam" form completed at the exam site is required in order to apply for a deferral. In the case of illness, arrange immediately for a medical examination so that you will have a medical certificate to support any request for a deferred examination. Applications for deferred final examinations must be made in writing at the Registrar's Office by the deadlines published in the Undergraduate Calendar.
7. The only time you may leave the Examination Room with the intention of retuming is to use the washroom. You must sign out, and back in, on the sheet provided.
8. If you are still in the Examination Room during the last ten minutes of the examination, you must remain seated until your examination materials have been collected and accounted for by a proctor.
9. You must leave all unauthorized items in a place specified by a proctor.
10. You may not bring any food or drink into the Examination Room, except water in a sealed, transparent, non-breakable, unlabeled container.
11. When you have completed your examination, give a proctor all used and unused answer books and/or answer sheets and the question paper (if required) before leaving the Examination Room. Ensure that all answer books and/or answer sheets have your name and student number on them and are collected and accounted for.
12. If you have doubts about the meaning or completeness of a question, supply the material you believe you need to answer the question and state your assumption at the beginning of your answer.