Academic Integrity

Be well to do well

Academic integrity is important to the entire University community. It is expected that all students demonstrate honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility, and courage throughout their academic work. Some of the biggest barriers to demonstrating academic integrity are stressors and gaps in knowledge. Stressors may include pressure to succeed in school, or challenges in your personal life that may have a negative impact on your mental and physical wellness. Gaps in knowledge may emerge from many challenges such as not knowing how to cite and reference appropriately or a lack of familiarity on how to write a research paper.

Making good decisions is more difficult when stressors and gaps in knowledge are heightened. This is when unacceptable shortcuts like plagiarism and cheating are most likely to occur. The best way to avoid this is by familiarizing yourself with the services and supports available to you.

Making Good Decisions

Tips for making good decisions are:

• Take care of yourself. Your physical and mental wellness should always come first. It’s normal to have some stress in life, and it’s important to recognize when stress begins to impact your wellness. Make time to take care of yourself. This may be as simple as taking a break for a meal or taking time to decompress with loved ones. Sometimes self care may be more complicated which brings us to the next tip.
• Ask for help. You are not alone in managing stressors and gaps in knowledge. Support is available at the University to help you navigate challenges that may arise from mental health to study skills. Take a look at the resources listed below to find the support you may need.
• Rely on University of Alberta supports, services, and resources when looking for help with academic challenges. Some third parties advertise tutoring services or learning resources that may lead you to an allegation of academic misconduct. This includes offers to write assignments or to provide copies of past exams.

University Resources

Below are some resources available to you at the University.

• Help to manage stressors: The Campus Life web page provides a comprehensive list of places where you can find help to manage stressors and gaps in knowledge before they become overwhelming.
• New academic integrity policy for students: The University of Alberta has a new Student Academic Integrity Policy (SAIP). Familiarize yourself with what is expected of you and the University’s approach to academic misconduct.
• Support when facing an allegation: Remember that there is support for you if you do find yourself facing an allegation of academic misconduct. The Office of the Student Ombuds can help you navigate the Student Academic Misconduct Process.
• Student conduct policies and procedures: Visit the Office of Student Conduct and Accountability website for more detailed information on policies and procedures related to student conduct.