ACADEMIC HONESTY
Introduction

Academic dishonesty is, fortunately, the exception rather than the norm. However, it does occur and most GSIs will encounter it in some form in their teaching careers. For that reason, it is important to be aware not only of what constitutes academic dishonesty and the formal procedures for addressing it, but also the most common causes of academic dishonesty and how to prevent it before it occurs. This guide begins with the formal definitions of academic dishonesty published by the Office of Student Life: Student Judicial Affairs (link opens in new window). However, since many students and GSIs are unsure about what constitutes plagiarism, especially as it pertains to paraphrasing, we also provide a less formal discussion of what constitutes an acceptable or unacceptable paraphrase of a text. Next, the guide discusses the causes of academic dishonesty and how best to prevent it from occurring. Finally, you will find strategies for detecting dishonest work and the various methods for dealing with it that are available to GSIs and faculty members.