Boston University has a number of resources in place to help students maintain academic integrity and to support students during the academic misconduct process. To learn more about Designated Academic Integrity Representatives (DAIRs) and how they can help you in a case of academic misconduct, visit the DAIR webpage.
Before we can dive into tips on how to maintain academic integrity, it’s important to understand what exactly academic integrity means.
What is Academic Integrity?
At Boston University, academic integrity means creating an environment of academic trust so that:
- Students believe their work will be evaluated fairly
- Students’ grades will accurately and fairly reflect their knowledge and/or proficiency in any given course
- There will be free sharing of ideas without the fear of them being stolen
We create environments of academic trust by:
- Valuing independent work, thoughts, and ideas
- Giving credit when we use or borrow other people’s work, thoughts, or ideas
The course syllabus is your friend
Every professor and every class will have a different combination of information inside their syllabi. But one commonality exists among all syllabi at Boston University: There is really important information in them! The information in your syllabi can help you make really important decisions that will help you avoid instances of academic misconduct.
This information may include:
- Information about office hours (these are the times professors are generally free to meet with students) and how to reach your professors with questions, concerns, or suggestions
- A course calendar that includes homework assignments so students can plan out their workloads
- Unique academic conduct expectations for specific assignments, for instance: on some assignments, students may be allowed to collaborate and submit shared work during group assignments
- The overall grade weight of each assignment, as well as grading penalties for late work
- Policies about incomplete grades and requests for extensions on assignments
Your course syllabi can help you plan your workload ahead of time. Maybe an overview of assignments for the semester can help you see that you should start your final paper a little early so you don’t feel overwhelmed during the final weeks of the semester.
You can also strategically prioritize your assignments. Maybe the syllabus tells you that a 1-page reflection paper due for your sociology class is only worth 2% of your final grade. So, when you have to choose between dedicating time towards your sociology reflection paper and working on your history term paper that is worth 50% of your final grade, you focus on the term paper for your history class.
Using the information in your syllabus to help you navigate a busy academic schedule can help you successfully meet your academic responsibilities while also contributing to Boston University’s environment of academic trust. This information is included in your syllabi because professors want you to use it to make informed decisions about how you will plan and prioritize your workload.
Refusal skills
Maintaining academic integrity is not easy, especially when you’re overwhelmed, stressed, and exhausted. And, as much as you may try to steer clear of academic misconduct in the work you do as a student at Boston University, sometimes your friends may put you in uncomfortable spots. It can take some practice to get comfortable saying “no” to your friends, but there are a few different ways to navigate these awkward situations.
For instance, with some friends, you may feel comfortable enough using a little humor to say “no.”
Student 1: Hey, what are the chances you’d show me that psych midterm you aced last year?
Student 2: The chances of that happening, my friend, are as slim as me waking up at 6:00am to workout with you. But, I’ll be happy to bring you some dinner while you study!
With other friends you may not know well, you can try giving them alternative suggestions.
Student 1: We both have that take-home test due for Accounting. Can we work on it together? I’m definitely in over my head with that class.
Student 2: No kidding! This test is haunting my dreams. I think I remember the professor saying we can’t work on the test with each other, but she said she’d be happy to answer questions during her office hours. Want to go with me to her office hours after class tomorrow?
There’s no doubt that handling these situations can be awkward and stressful. But, using a little humor or offering alternative suggestions are two ways you can make the situation a little easier to navigate.
On campus resources
Boston University has a bunch of resources on campus to help students maintain academic integrity. Here are just a few:
- Designated Academic Integrity Representatives, or DAIRS: DAIRS serves as an academic integrity resource for students and instructors in every undergraduate school and college around campus. If you have questions about the academic conduct code or academic misconduct process, your school or college’s DAIR would be a great person to ask!
- The CAS Writing Center offers one-on-one appointments free of charge to students with papers from Writing Program courses (CAS WR courses) and most other courses that fulfill the First-Year Writing and Writing, Research, & Inquiry Hub units. Writing Center consultants will help you address any questions about academic integrity before you hand in your work.
- The Educational Resource Center, or ERC: The ERC is a great place to find resources like peer tutoring, writing assistance, and academic skill-building workshops. You can find more information at www.bu.edu/erc, or you can stop by at 100 Bay State Road.
- BU Librarians: BU’s librarians are one of the best resources we have at the University. Have a question about a topic you’re researching? Ask a librarian. Not sure how to get started with research? Ask a librarian. Not sure how a source should be cited? Ask a librarian. You can find out more about BU libraries and librarians at www.bu.edu/library.
- Your instructors are always great resources, too!
Wrap up
You will learn more about using sources responsibly and academic integrity in your time at BU, starting with writing classes you take as a first-year student.
Building and maintaining an environment of academic trust can only happen if you, our BU students, conduct yourselves with academic integrity at all times – from your classrooms, to your research labs, to your residence halls, to your internship sites.
We are excited to have you join our community of scholars and can’t wait to see your unique contributions to the academic legacy that is Boston University.
