Academic integrity is an integral part of the intellectual development of a student and hence the entire higher education. This is because for higher education to achieve the goal of exchanging ideas freely, adherence to academic integrity by all members is requisite ( Boehm et al., 2009; Walden University, n.d.). To achieve this , each student is expected to acknowledge and respect the ideas and research put forth by other people in his or her academic submissions. Also, each student is expected to adhere to the regulations put in place by the institution through specific academic units and programs, as well as course instructors. Promoting academic integrity in higher education also ensures that the degrees earned are an accurate reflection of individual student’s real academic exploits (Walden University, n.d.). In this case, the students employ hard work in their quest for academic excellence, and thus their degrees are earned both honestly and fairly . Therefore, by cheating intentionally, a student’s morals and integrity are not only compromised but also the value of the attained degree is significantly lowered ( Boehm et al., 2009) . Ultimately, the student’s lack of credibility can impact negatively on his career goals if the same is applied in the work environment. In this regard, there is a consensus amongst scholars that students who lack academic integrity are highly vulnerable to cheating, being dishonest and committing such crimes as fraud while at work.
Numerous reasons occasion violations to academic integrity . Chiefly, however, the student’s that feel overwhelmed by their personal and academic obligations are more likely to become victims. This is by taking shortcuts to academic excellence and hence compromising their integrity and honesty in the process. The violation can thus be termed as any action, whether actual or attempted, that gives a particular student an unfair advantage over his or her peers, or any other member of the institution of higher learning (Walden University, n.d.). Examples of such violations include acts of plagiarism in which case a student uses another person’s intellectual material and fails to acknowledge that individual ( American Psychological Association , 2010). Taylor (2003) argues that this vice is driven by the growing focus on independent research as well as the increased use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in higher learning. Notably , cases of plagiarism have increased with increase in the use of the internet . The other notable violation is cheating whereby a student’s academic assignment is characterized by deceit, fraud or dishonesty. In this case, prohibited materials or those deemed inappropriate are used in the completion of academic assignments. Other violations include the use of false information, copyright violations, presentation of false credentials, theft or damage academic-related property.
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Lack of academic dishonesty affects institutions of higher learning in profound ways. This is because it results in loss of time and the institution ’s integrity score ( Boehm et al., 2009) . The other critical outcome is the lowered respect for ethics and values amongst students. This is particularly worrying given that institutions of higher learning are charged with the responsibility of not only educating but also ensuring that future leaders abide by an ethical code of conduct. Some of the drivers of these shortcomings include failure by institutions to establish integrity practices and standards across campuses coupled with the lack of communication and training. Nevertheless, the strategies that can be used to reduce academic integrity violations include offering training to faculty members on academic integrity, followed by provision of resources and support so as to empower then in promoting the same across campuses. Students should also be involved in the development of policies that seek to promote academic integrity. There is also need to develop an honor code in the particular institution that is clear and supported by examples. Notwithstanding, clear sanctions for those caught violating the code are vital (Boehm et al., 2009). These strategies will complement the short-term measures of monitoring all student work.
References
American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC .
Boehm, P. J., Justice, M., & Weeks, S. (2009). Promoting academic integrity in higher education. The Community College Enterprise , 15 (1), 45.
Taylor, G. (2003, January). The critical role of pedagogy in plagiarism prevention: the Unley ten point counter plagiarism strategy. In The First Australasian Educational Integrity Conference .
Walden University (n.d.). Code of conduct. Retrieved from http://catalog.waldenu.edu/content.php?catoid=62&navoid=9402
