Academic Integrity

Texas State Academic Honor Code

As members of a community dedicated to learning, inquiry, and creation, the students, faculty, and administration of our university live by the principles in this Honor Code. These principles require all members of this community to be conscientious, respectful, and honest.

WE ARE CONSCIENTIOUS. We complete our work on time and make every effort to do it right. We come to class and meetings prepared and are willing to demonstrate it. We hold ourselves to doing what is required, embrace rigor, and shun mediocrity, special requests, and excuses.

WE ARE RESPECTFUL. We act civilly toward one another and we cooperate with each other. We will strive to create an environment in which people respect and listen to one another, speaking when appropriate, and permitting other people to participate and express their views.

WE ARE HONEST. We do our own work and are honest with one another in all matters. We understand how various acts of dishonesty, like plagiarizing, falsifying data, and giving or receiving assistance to which one is not entitled, conflict as much with academic achievement as with the values of honesty and integrity.

The Texas State Academic Honor Code applies to all Texas State students, including distance education students. The Honor Code serves as an affirmation that the University demands the highest standard of integrity in all actions related to the academic community. As stated in the Texas State Student Handbook, Violation of the Honor Code includes, but is not limited to, cheating on an examination or other academic work, plagiarism, collusion, and the abuse of resource materials.

Definitions

As stated per Texas State Honor Code, UPPS No. 07.10.01, Issue no. 8.

*Please note that not all activities that constitute academic misconduct are listed in specific detail in UPPS No. 07.10.10, Honor Code. It is expected that students will honor the spirit of academic integrity and will not place themselves in the position of being charged with academic misconduct.

Please cite all unoriginal material through the use of standard bibliographical practice explained through the Alkek library site.

Incidents of academic dishonesty as outlined by the University will be reported to the administration for disciplinary action. In addition, students will receive a 0 for the assignment or assignments without the opportunity to redo the work.

Academic work signifies outcomes and products such as essays, theses, reports, exams, tests, quizzes, problems, assignments, or other projects submitted for purposes of achieving learning outcomes.

Cheating in general means, but is not limited to, engaging or attempting to engage in any of the following activities:

  • Copying from another student's test paper, laboratory report, other report, computer files, data listing, programs, or from any electronic device or equipment;
  • Using, during a test, materials not authorized by the person giving the test;
  • Collaborating, without authorization, with another person during an examination or in preparing academic work;
  • Knowingly, and without authorization, using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, soliciting, copying, or possessing, in whole or in part, the content of an unadministered test;
  • Substituting for another student—or permitting another person to substitute for oneself—in taking an exam or preparing academic work;
  • Bribing another person to obtain an unadministered test or information about an unadministered test;
  • Purchasing, or otherwise acquiring and submitting as one’s own work, any research paper or other writing assignment prepared by an individual or firm. This section does not apply to the typing of the rough or final versions of an assignment by a professional typist;
  • Submitting the same essay, thesis, report, or another project, without substantial revision or expansion of the work, in an attempt to obtain credit for work submitted in a previous course;
  • Falsifying data.

Plagiarism in general means, but is not limited to, the appropriation of another’s work and the inadequately or inappropriately acknowledged incorporation of that work in one’s own written, oral, visual or the performance of an original act or routine that is offered for credit.

Collusion in general means, but is not limited to, the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing any work offered for credit.

Abuse of resource materials in general means, but is not limited to, the mutilation, destruction, concealment, theft or alteration of materials provided to assist students in the mastery of course content.

Please cite all unoriginal material through the use of standard bibliographical practice as explained on the Alkek Library site.

Students accused of dishonest conduct may have their cases heard by the faculty member. The student may also appeal the faculty member’s decision to the Honor Code Council. Students and faculty will have the option of having an advocate present to insure their rights. Possible actions that may be taken range from exoneration to expulsion.

Notice of Intellectual Property Rights

The text and images on this page and pages linked to it are protected by copyright. Lectures and examination questions are also protected by copyright law. You are authorized to take notes in class and to use the online materials provided, thereby creating derivative works from my lectures and other materials. However, this authorization extends only to making one set of notes or answers for your own personal use and no other use. You are not authorized to provide copies, notes or examination questions to anyone else, or to make any commercial use of them without prior written consent.

As stated per Texas State Honor Code, UPPS No. 07.10.01, Issue no. 8.