• How to Avoid Plagiarism: LWC Academic Integrity

    Bad idea. Don't plagiarize, ever.

    Short Story

    First Offense Receive a failing grade for the assignment.
    Second Offense

    1) Receive a failing grade for the course.

    2) Possible suspension* from the college.

    Third Offense

    1) Receive a failing grade for the course.

    2) Suspension from the college.

    3) Possible expulsion* from the college.

    *Depends on the severity of the situation.

    **All cases are reported to Academic Affairs.

    Official Statement

    Lindsey Wilson College Academic Integrity Statement

    *as of July 7, 2021*

    Academic integrity is essential to the existence of an academic community. Every student is responsible for fostering a culture of academic honesty and for maintaining the integrity and academic reputation of Lindsey Wilson College. Maintaining a culture that supports learning and growth requires that each student make a commitment to the fundamental academic values: honesty, integrity, responsibility, trust, respect for self and others, fairness, and justice.

    To foster commitment to academic integrity, faculty are asked to require each student to place and sign the following Honor Code on tests, exams, and other assignments as appropriate: On my honor as a student, I have neither given nor received any unauthorized aid on this assignment/exam.

    Violations of the academic integrity policy include cheating, plagiarism, or lying about academic matters. Plagiarism is defined as any use of another writer’s words, concepts, or sequence of ideas without acknowledging that writer by the use of proper documentation. Not only the direct quotation of another writer’s words but also any paraphrase or summary of another writer’s concepts or ideas without documentation is plagiarizing that writer’s materials. Plagiarism also consists of “self-plagiarism,” whereby a student uses his/her own work from a previous class and submits this work as new material for a subsequent class.

    Academic dishonesty is a profoundly serious offense because it involves an act of fraud that jeopardizes genuine efforts by faculty and students to teach and learn together. It is not tolerated at Lindsey Wilson College.

    Students who are determined to have plagiarized an assignment or otherwise cheated in their academic work or examinations may expect an F for the activity in question, a zero for the activity in question, or an F for the course, at the discretion of the instructor. All incidents of cheating or plagiarism are reported by the instructor to the Academic Affairs Office along with copies of all relevant materials. Each instance of cheating or plagiarism is counted separately. A student who cheats or plagiarizes in two assignments or tests during the same semester will be deemed guilty of two offenses. If the evidence is unclear or if a second offense occurs at any time in the student’s academic career, the Academic Affairs Office will refer the case to the Academic Integrity Committee for review. A second offense typically results in an F in the course, but could result in suspension from the college depending on the severity of the violation. A third offense typically results in suspension from the college but could result in expulsion from the college depending on the severity of the violation. Students who receive an F in a course based on an academic integrity violation may not continue attending the course or have the F removed by virtue of withdrawing.

    Note:    The college has access to a web product used to detect plagiarized documents. Faculty members are encouraged to use this tool.