- Academic integrity is an integral part of a faith-based university community. As such, it is assumed that a student is the author of all coursework (quizzes, problem sets, online contributions, tests, papers, lab work, etc.) that he/she submits, whether for a grade or not. Images, ideas, data, audio clips, phrases, etc. borrowed from others should be fully identified by standard procedures for making such acknowledgment.
- An act of academic dishonesty (i.e., cheating or plagiarism) is a serious offense and is regarded as conflicting with the work and purpose of the entire university and is not merely just a matter between the student and the faculty member.
- When a student plagiarizes, disciplinary action is initiated with the goal of helping the student refrain from future acts of plagiarism. This disciplinary action includes academic consequences related to the student’s course and a change in the student’s status, moving the student to academic integrity probation or academic integrity suspension, as appropriate.
- Incidents of plagiarism must be reported immediately by the faculty member to the Registrar for Traditional Undergraduate (TRAD) courses or the Assistant Dean of the College of Graduate, Online & Adult Learning (CGOAL) for Dual Enrollment (DE) and Adult & Graduate (A&GS) courses.
- The most common errors in handling written sources are the following:
- failure to use quotation marks when quoting,
- failure to make a thorough paraphrase when attempting to put the idea in one’s own words,
- failure to give the source of the information.
- Students A student found plagiarizing in course work or examinations are is subject to discipline. The standard disciplinary response is an immediate "F" (failing grade) for the course and . Additionally, for the first incident of plagiarism, the student is placed on disciplinary probation. academic integrity probation by the Registrar, or Assistant Dean of CGOAL, as appropriate. Student Life and Academic Achievement may be made aware of the disciplinary action taken.
- The disciplinary action may be decreased or increased for reasons such as the following:
- Possibly decreased to failure of assignment
:- if and/or student not placed on academic integrity probation or academic integrity suspension if
- the work is a minor part of the total grade of the course (such as less than 5%),
if - the act of academic dishonesty (plagiarism) is judged not to be premeditated.
- However, the professor may require the student to rewrite the paper, while still receiving a failing grade, in order to pass the course.
- Recommend to Student Life possible disciplinary suspension:
- if a repeated case of plagiarizing at Northwestern,
- if a flagrant action of plagiarizing, such as intentional lifting of large sections of text without documentation or fabrication of sources,
- if the student is proved to have been dishonest or uncooperative at any time during the investigation.
- Appeals for cause on plagiarizing Academic integrity probation students are required to do the following:
- Meet with the Academic Achievement Program Manager (TRAD students in TRAD courses) or the Assistant Dean of CGOAL (DE and A&GS students) for an accountability appointment.
- Complete the “Unit 3: Avoiding Plagiarism” section (to include the two Unit 3 mastery quizzes) of the “Achieving the Best in Your Writing” learning management system course
- The student may be removed from academic integrity probation if the student meets with the Academic Achievement Program Manager/Assistant Dean of CGOAL and achieves a minimum score of 8 on both mastery quizzes.
- If a second incident of academic dishonesty occurs
- after the student has been removed from academic integrity probation, the student is placed back on academic integrity probation.
- while the student is still on academic integrity probation from a previous academic dishonesty incident, the student is placed on academic integrity suspension by the Registrar or Assistant Dean of CGOAL, as appropriate.
- For a subsequent incident of academic dishonesty, the student is placed on academic integrity suspension.
- Academic integrity suspended students are suspended as such:
- All Students: If the incident occurs during the fall semester, then the student will be suspended during the subsequent spring semester.
- TRAD and DE Students: If the incident occurs during the spring semester, then the student will be suspended during the subsequent summer and fall semesters.
- A&GS students: If the incident occurs during the spring semester, then the student will be suspended during the subsequent summer semester.
- All students: If the incident occurs during the summer semester, then the student will be suspended during the subsequent fall semester.
- Appeals regarding plagiarism will be in writing and directed to the Registrar, respective chair of ad hoc Appeals Committee: Registrar for TRAD courses or the Assistant Dean of CGOAL for DE and A&GS courses.
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