Background

For some time, there has been a consensus among many educators as well as scholars in the field of academic integrity that cheating is pervasive at American colleges and universities.  Experts also agree that numerous factors contribute to this academic dishonesty, including: the predominance of cheating in secondary schools; a lack of preparedness and familiarity with requirements of academic integrity, particularly regarding plagiarism; increased access to electronic materials and the corresponding difficulty of detecting inappropriate use of such materials; stress, including pressure to excel; student perceptions of unfairness in grading and academic requirements; and inconsistent handling of academic integrity violations.

These issues were compounded by the pandemic and the related widespread introduction of online courses and, most recently, by the introduction of generative artificial intelligence tools. To ameliorate those causes of academic dishonesty within faculty control, faculty are urged to dedicate a small portion of their syllabi and a modest amount of classroom time to academic integrity. To help you accomplish this, information and suggestions are below:

Syllabus Text and Classroom Discussion

University Faculty guidelines recommend that all course syllabi include a reference to the Code of Academic Integrity such as the following: “Each student in this course is expected to abide by the Cornell University Code of Academic Integrity. Any work submitted by a student in this course for academic credit will be the student’s own work.” Beyond this recommended text, and as discussed below, include in your syllabi, and discuss in class, your specific expectations for academic integrity as applied to your course, particularly your rules for whether/how students may collaborate, what sources they may use, including from Internet “study sites”; whether/how they may use generative artificial intelligence tools; and when/how they must acknowledge assistance. Also, make clear that you will investigate and pursue suspected Code infractions.

In class, talk to your students about the importance of academic integrity, teaching the principles relevant to your discipline and class work, and providing specific instructions about assignment requirements for compliance. Such discussions, particularly discipline-based illustrations, can be very effective in reducing cheating. And repetition is crucial. Take a few minutes, a few times during the semester, to talk to students about academic integrity and remind them of the exact requirements for your course. It is good to do this at the start of the semester and before prelims, finals, and other major due dates. While this may seem to detract from your subject-matter instruction, this positive and educational approach towards academic integrity should save you time in the long run and, in fairness and for pedagogical purposes, precede punitive measures.

University Educational Materials Provided to Students

As a foundation for any classroom discussion, you can assume that all undergraduate students have been introduced to the importance of academic honesty. Over the summer, all new undergraduate students are expected to watch a fourteen-minute video, entitled Cheating, made specifically for Cornell, in which Cornell students, professors, and alumni discuss real-life ethical dilemmas that students face; share their perspectives on why students cheat; discuss the reasons why students shouldn’t cheat; and give tips on how students can avoid the predicaments that lead to cheating. Additionally, at the start of the academic year, all new and returning undergraduate students receive electronically The Essential Guide to Academic Integrity at Cornell. The Essential Guide includes the Code of Academic Integrity and educational materials on Acknowledging the Work of Others, Working Collaboratively, Using Generative Artificial Intelligence Tools, and Buying and Selling Course Materials Through Internet Sites. It also includes a list of online resources and a section about the pitfalls of cheating and strategies to avoid cheating. At the beginning of the semester, you might encourage students to read the guide, and you might reiterate the point, made in the guide, that if students are unsure about course rules or whether they are crossing an ethical line, they should ask you for clarification.