Please read this document carefully. It is taken from the university’s "Code of Academic Honesty." Take special note of section 3.0 and the comments at the end of this page. If you do something that is prohibited by this policy and claim that you did not know that you were not supposed to do it or that you did not understand the policy, you will still be held responsible. It is your responsibility to ensure that you understand these regulations.

1.0 STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLE

All members of the University community share the responsibility for the academic standards and reputation of the University. Academic honesty is a cornerstone of the development and acquisition of knowledge. Academic honesty is a condition of continued membership in the university community.

Academic dishonesty, like other forms of dishonesty, includes misrepresentation with intent to deceive or without regard to the source or the accuracy of statements or findings. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University; it is furthermore unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University.

2.0 JURISDICTION

This policy covers matters of academic dishonesty involving SFU students engaged in University-related scholarly activities. Scholarly activities include credit and non-credit courses, projects, essays, theses and research. This policy also covers matters of academic dishonesty in University-related scholarly activities involving SFU alumni if the matters occurred prior to graduation and were unknown at the time of graduation.

3.0 FORMS OF ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

The illustrations presented below are considered to be representative but not definitive nor exhaustive of activities which could be considered to constitute academic dishonesty.

(a) Plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty in which an individual submits or presents the work of another person as his or her own. Scholarship quite properly rests upon examining and referring to the thoughts and writings of others. However, when excerpts are used in paragraphs or essays, the author must be acknowledged using an accepted format for the underlying discipline. Footnotes, endnotes, references and bibliographies must be complete.

Plagiarism exists when all or part of an essay is copied from an author, or composed by another person, and presented as original work. Plagiarism also exists when there is inadequate recognition given to the author for phrases, sentences, or ideas of the author incorporated into an essay.

(b) Submitting the same (or part of the same) essay, presentation, or assignment more than once whether the earlier submission was at this or another institution, unless prior approval has been obtained.

(c) Cheating on an examination or falsifying material subject to academic evaluation. This includes the unauthorized sharing of material, e.g. two or more students using the same textbook during an "open book" examination; or the use of course notes or any aids not approved by an instructor during a "closed book" examination; unauthorized possession or use of an examination or assignment.

(d) Submitting as one's original work, essays, presentations or assignments which were purchased or otherwise acquired from another source.

(e) Using or attempting to use other students' answers; providing answers to other students; failing to take reasonable measures to protect answers from use by other students in assignments, projects or examinations; or submitting identical or virtually identical assignments by students who studied together.

(f) Impersonating a candidate in an examination or availing oneself of the results of such impersonation.

(g) Submitting false records or information, in writing or orally. This includes the falsification or submission of false laboratory results, documents, transcripts or other academic credentials.

(h) Stealing or destroying the work of another student.

(i) Removing books or other library material without authorization, or mutilating or misplacing library materials, or engaging in other actions which deprive other members of the University community of their opportunity to have access to the academic resources of the library.

(j) Unauthorized or inappropriate use of computers, calculators and other forms of technology in course work, assignments or examinations.

4.0 NOTIFICATION OF STANDARDS OF ACADEMIC HONESTY

All members of the university community have a responsibility to ensure that they themselves, and others, are familiar with generally accepted standards and requirements of academic honesty. Summaries of these shall be published in the University Calendar and in the Registration Handbook. Ignorance of these standards will not preclude the imposition of penalties for academic dishonesty.

5.0 PROCEDURES AND PENALTIES

5.1 PROCEDURES

Procedures to be followed by the University in finding facts and imposing a penalty for acts of academic dishonesty or an appeal therefrom are detailed in the policy T 10.03 establishing the University Board on Student Discipline and the Senate Committee on Disciplinary Appeals.

5.2 PENALTIES

Penalties imposed by the University for academic dishonesty may include but are not limited to one or more of the following: a warning, a verbal or written reprimand, reassessment of work, failure on a particular assignment, failure in a course, denial of admission or readmission to the University, deregistration, forfeiture of University awards or financial assistance, suspension or permanent suspension from the University or revocation of a degree.

5.3 DETERMINATION OF PENALTIES

In deciding on the appropriate sanction to be imposed for an act of academic dishonesty, consideration may be given to the following factors:

(a) the extent of the academic dishonesty;

(b) whether or not the academic dishonesty was deliberate;

(c) the importance of the work in question as a component of the course or program;

(d) whether the act in question is an isolated incident or part of repeated acts of academic dishonesty; and

(e) any other mitigating or aggravating circumstances.

In any of your written work, you must give proper references for your sources. If you copy something word for word from a book or article, you must indicate that it is a quote by putting it in quotation marks ("like this") and you must identify the source (author, date, page number, etc.). Even if you don’t copy something word for word—if you paraphrase it, changing some of the words—you must still identify the source (author, date, page number, etc.) and specify how you are making use of the source. (What is the specific nature of your debt to the author whose work you are citing?)

You will be guilty of plagiarism:

• if you fail to provide proper references for your sources, including page numbers;
• if you do not put quotation marks around material copied from other sources (even if it is only part of a sentence!);
• if you do not identify fully and clearly any material that you paraphrased (along with its source);
• if you copy the work of another student;
• if you submit material that is too similar to that of another student (or source) for your instructor reasonably to believe that it is your own original, independently produced work.

If it is determined that you did any of these things, it is likely that you will suffer one or more of the following penalties:

• you may receive a failing grade in the course;
• you may receive a failing grade on the assignment;
• you may be suspended from the university for one or more semesters;
• you may lose any financial assistance you were receiving.

This is very serious business. Make sure that you understand the university’s policies.