Documents for Syllabi

Dr. David Matthias, Assistant Dean Student Matters, has sent the following to be used on syllabi.

Academic Integrity 

At Dalhousie University, we are guided in all of our work by the values of academic integrity: honesty, trust, fairness, responsibility and respect (The Center for Academic Integrity, Duke University, 1999). As a student, you are required to demonstrate these values in all of the work you do. The University provides policies and procedures that every member of the university community is required to follow to ensure academic integrity.

What does academic integrity mean?

At university we advance knowledge by building on the work of other people. Academic integrity means that we are honest and accurate in creating and communicating all academic products. Acknowledgement of other people’s work must be done in a way that does not leave the reader in any doubt as to whose work it is. Academic integrity means trustworthy conduct such as not cheating on examinations and not misrepresenting information. It is the student’s responsibility to seek assistance to ensure that these standards are met.

How can you achieve academic integrity?

We must all work together to prevent academic dishonesty because it is unfair to honest students. The following are some ways that you can achieve academic integrity; some may not be applicable in all circumstances.

• Make sure you understand Dalhousie’s policies on academic integrity (http://academicintegrity.dal.ca/Policies/)
• Do not cheat in examinations or write an exam or test for someone else
• Do not falsify data or lab results 
• Be sure not to plagiarize, intentionally or unintentionally, for example…
• Clearly indicate the sources used in your written or oral work. This includes computer codes/ programs, artistic or architectural works, scientific projects, performances, web page designs, graphical representations, diagrams, videos, and images
• Do not use the work of another from the Internet or any other source and submit it as your own
• When you use the ideas of other people (paraphrasing), make sure to acknowledge the source
• Do not submit work that has been completed through collaboration or previously submitted for another assignment without permission from your instructor (These examples should be considered only as a guide and not an exhaustive list.)

Where can you turn for help?

If you are ever unsure about any aspect of your academic work, contact me (or the TA):

• Academic Integrity website http://academicintegrity.dal.ca/
Links to policies, definitions, online tutorials, tips on citing and paraphrasing

• Writing Centre
(http://www.dal.ca/campus_life/student_services/academic-support/writing-and-study-skills.html) 
Assistance with learning to write academic documents, reviewing papers for discipline-specific writing standards, organization, argument, transititions, writing styles and citations

• Dalhousie Libraries Workshops (http://libraries.dal.ca/)
Online tutorials, citation guides, Assignment Calculator, RefWorks

• Dalhousie Student Advocacy Service (http://studentservices.dal.ca/services/advocacy.html)
Assists students with academic appeals and student discipline procedures.

• Senate Office (http://senate.dal.ca)
List of Academic Integrity Officers, discipline flowchart, Senate Discipline Committee

What will happen if an allegation of an academic offence is made against you?

As your instructor, I am required to report every suspected offence. The full process is outlined in the Faculty Discipline Flow Chart (http://senate.dal.ca/Files/AIO_/AcademicDisciplineProcess_Flowchart_updated_July_2011.pdf) and includes the following:

• Each Faculty has an Academic Integrity Officer (AIO) who receives allegations from instructors
• Based on the evidence provided, the AIO decides if there is evidence to proceed with the allegation and you will be notified of the process
• If the case proceeds, you will receive a PENDING grade until the matter is resolved
• If you are found guilty of an offence, a penalty will be assigned ranging from a warning, to failure of the assignment or failure of the class, to expulsion from the University. Penalties may also include a notation on your transcript that indicates that you have committed an academic offence. Updated August 2011.

Proposed Syllabus Statement from the Advising and Access Services Center

Students may request accommodation as a result of barriers related to disability, religious obligation, or any characteristic under the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act. Students who require academic accommodation for either classroom participation or the writing of tests and exams should make their request to the Advising and Access Services Center (AASC) prior to or at the outset of the regular academic year. Please visit www.dal.ca/access for more information and to obtain the Request for Accommodation – Form A.

A note taker may be required as part of a student’s accommodation. There is an honorarium of $75/course/term (with some exceptions). If you are interested, please contact AASC at 494-2836 for more information.

Please note that your classroom may contain specialized accessible furniture and equipment. It is important that these items remain in the classroom, untouched, so that students who require their usage will be able to participate in the class. Updated June 2012.