The University is an academic community dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge in a supportive academic climate of mutual respect, integrity, and high ethical standards. To this end, Millersville University promotes an environment of ethical conduct, the foundation of which includes the pursuit of academic honesty and integrity. Through an atmosphere of mutual respect, both students and faculty enhance the value of the educational experience and strive for the highest standard of academic excellence. Members of the university community, including students, faculty, staff, administrators, and trustees, must not commit any misrepresentation or deception in academic or professional matters.

To prepare academically honest work, you should understand and avoid the various forms of academic dishonesty. These include plagiarism, fabrication, cheating, and academic misconduct.  

Tips for Preparing Academically Honest Work 

Plagiarism is the presentation of someone else’s words, ideas, or data as your own work. By placing your name on a scholarly product, you are certifying the originality of all work you have not otherwise identified with appropriate acknowledgments. When you submit work that includes the words, ideas, or data of others, you must acknowledge the source of that information through complete, accurate, and specific references.

Plagiarism includes representing as your own any academic exercise (e.g., written work, computer program, sculpture, etc.) prepared totally or in part by another.  For example, if you include direct quotations from a source, whether pieces of sentences or entire passages, you must use quotation marks or other accepted citation practices.  You must acknowledge your sources whenever you:

1. quote another person’s actual words;
2. use another person’s ideas, opinions, theories, sentence structures, or flow of ideas, even if they are completely paraphrased in your own words; or
3. borrow facts, statistics, or other illustrative materials, unless the information is common knowledge.

These guidelines should be followed for all source types, including books, newspapers, pamphlets, journal articles, websites, and other online resources.

Fabrication is the falsification of research or other findings. Examples include:

1. Citing information not actually taken from the source indicated;
2. Listing in a bibliography sources not actually consulted; or
3. Inventing data or other information for research or other academic projects.

Cheating is the act or attempted act of deception in which an individual misrepresents what he/she has mastered in subject matter in an academic project. Similarly, it includes the attempt to gain an academic advantage by the use of illegal or illegitimate means. Examples include:

1. Copying from another student's test paper;
2. Allowing another student to copy from your test paper.
3. Using the course textbook, or other material such as a notebook, during a test when unauthorized for use.
4. Collaborating during a test with another person by receiving or providing information without the permission of the instructor.
5. Using or possessing specifically prepared, unauthorized materials (e.g., notes, formula lists, formulas programmed into calculators, notes written on the student's clothing or person) during a test.
6. Giving or taking unauthorized aid in a take home exam or paper.
7. Submitting work for a class that was already submitted for another class, when unauthorized, or allowing another student to submit or copy from your previously submitted class work.
8. Acquiring another student’s course paper and submitting it as your own work, whether altered or not.

Academic misconduct is the violation or attempted violation of University policies by tampering with grades, tests, and/or testing procedures. Examples include:

1. Taking a test for someone else, or permitting someone else to take a test or course in your place.
2. Obtaining or sharing all or part of an unadministered exam.
3. Changing or being an accessory to changing a grade in a grade book, on a test, on a "Change of Grade" form, or other official academic University record which relates to grades.
4. Continuing to work on an examination or project after the specified allotted time has elapsed.

The above lists are for illustration only. They should not be construed as a restrictive or exhaustive list of the various forms of conduct that constitute academic dishonesty.

Tips for Preparing Academically Honest Work

Processes for Handling Violations of Academic Integrity Policies