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Academic Integrity


Creation of a compelling learning experience for all students is one of the primary goals of Oregon State University. Part of developing this experience is for students to "acquire skills and knowledge for a lifetime of learning, and be involved in scholarly and creative pursuits." As a way to achieve the goals set forth for OSU, there is a set of values each member of the OSU community is expected to uphold, and academic integrity ranks high as a crucial value.

The Center for Academic Integrity (CAI) defines academic integrity as "a commitment, even in the face of adversity, to five fundamental values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility." These values guide the behaviors that enable academic communities to transform ideals into action.

Responsibilities of Students


1. Acknowledge the Academic Integrity statement provided by the instructors.
2. Understand the individual instructor's expectations in collaborative group assignments or projects and seek clarifications when necessary.
3. Learn about OSU's policies on cheating and plagiarism. Understand the definitions of cheating, plagiarism, and misuse of sources. They are described below, under the heading Academic Dishonesty.
4. Please remember that ignorance of the policies on academic dishonesty does not constitute a basis for waiving the rules.

Please visit the following sites for further guidance:

OSU Mission and Values
OSU Office of Student Conduct
8 Cardinal rules of academic integrity provided by North Western University.
Academic Integrity - A Letter to my students by Bill Taylor of Oakton Community College.

Academic Dishonesty


The goal of Oregon State University is to provide students with the knowledge, skill and wisdom they need to contribute to society. Our rules are formulated to guarantee each student's freedom to learn and to protect the fundamental rights of others. People must treat each other with dignity and respect in order for scholarship to thrive. Behaviors that are disruptive to learning will not be tolerated, and will be referred to the Student Conduct and Mediation Programs office. Additionally, students are expected to be honest and ethical in their academic work. Academic dishonesty is defined as "an (intentional) act of deception" in one or more of the following areas:

  • Cheating: use or attempted use of unauthorized materials, information or study aids
  • Fabrication: falsification or invention of any information
  • Assisting: helping another commit an act of academic dishonesty
  • Tampering: altering or interfering with evaluation instruments and documents
  • Plagiarism: representing the words or ideas of another person as one's own
This site is designed to answer your questions regarding academic honesty and dishonesty. You can find more information from Office of Student Conduct-Academic Dishonesty . If you have questions about academic honesty, please contact Student Conduct and Mediation Programs at 737-3656 or e-mail at StudentConduct@orst.edu.

Examples of Academic Dishonesty
Some examples of academic dishonesty include but are not limited to:

  • Use of textbooks, notes or any unauthorized materials during an exam
  • Having someone tell you the test questions and/or answers before you take the test
  • Looking at other student's tests during the exam
  • Collaborating on assignments when collaboration is not allowed
  • Having someone take an exam for you
  • Taking an exam for someone else
  • Not citing sources appropriately or at all
  • Falsifying laboratory results
  • Obtaining exams or questions from exams through illicit means

Ways to Avoid Academic Dishonesty
These are just a few of the ways you can avoid academic dishonesty.

  • Attend class - you won't feel as stressed (and like you need to cheat) if you attend class and regularly review the material
  • Do not look around while taking an exam - if you don't look around you reduce the risk of someone thinking that you were looking at their exam
  • Do not give your assignments to other students - once you hand over your assignment you don't know if the person will use it as a guide or just turn your work in as there own.
  • Cite your sources appropriately - it is important that you give credit to whose ever idea you are using
  • Talk with your instructor - ask questions about what your professor expects on assignments, exams and group work
  • Manage your time - plan study time so you avoid last minute cramming and the temptation to cheat

OSU's Academic Integrity Seminar
Student Conduct and Mediation Programs offers the Academic Integrity Seminar (AIS) twice a term for students who have violated OSU's academic integrity code of conduct. The seminar is broken into two one hour and a half sessions, one week apart, with required homework due to the instructor at the beginning of the second seminar.

Links to other Academic Integrity sites

Center for Academic Integrity
OSU Office of Student Conduct