Academic Integrity

Academic integrity means the practice of honest and responsible scholarship. It’s a key part of everything we do at university.

Academic integrity is based on the “fundamental values of honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility, and courage,” which are “central to the building, nurturing, and sustaining of an academic community” (see the Centre for Academic Integrity).

As you likely already know, it’s your responsibility to practice academic integrity in all of your academic work. Departing from academic integrity can have serious consequences. Practicing academic integrity is also critical to your identity as a student and a scholar.

However, you don’t have to master academic integrity skills on your own! SASS can help you, whether you are an undergraduate or a graduate student, new to or familiar with academic integrity.

Read more information on policies and procedures specific to your faculty or school.

Many departures from academic integrity are committed when students:

• are stressed and working at the last minute
• misunderstand the rules
• lack knowledge about how to quote and paraphrase.

This and other SASS resources on academic integrity will help you avoid these pitfalls.

You can achieve your goals and follow academic integrity if you adopt good learning strategies and ask for help when you need it. Talk to your instructors if you have fallen behind and feel like cheating is the only option. SASS can help you get back on track.

Academic integrity matters because it’s what makes your degree worth something. Studying at Queen’s means you are part of a scholarly community, one in which all members—students and faculty alike—are held in mutual respect and follow the same rules. Academic integrity also supports the reputation of Queen’s; universities, and the degrees they confer, are only as strong as their reputations.

Departing from academic integrity can also have serious consequences for you personally, from failing a course to being expelled from Queen’s. Keep the big picture in mind: you’re paying a lot of money for the opportunity to learn and develop your knowledge and yourself.

Cheating affects those around you, but, most of all, it affects you—ultimately, you are cheating yourself.

Maryellen Weimer, professor emerita at Pennsylvania State University, outlines some of the consequences of cheating in a post on the Teaching Professor Blog. Paraphrased from that blog post, here are six reasons not to cheat:

1. Knowledge is cumulative.
   What you learn later will draw on what you’re learning now. Cheating now means you’ll have to do twice the work later to catch up.
2. Train your brain.
   When you cheat, you don’t learn. You won’t develop your writing, critical thinking, and problem solving. These critically important skills are ones that employers will assume you have upon graduation.
3. Once a cheater...
   Research shows that cheating is almost never a one-time thing. In fact, you might get used to cheating and do it after you leave Queen’s (e.g., at work, on your taxes, with unethical business practices, in your personal life).
4. It's about integrity.
   It doesn’t feel good when people are dishonest with you. Think about the kind of person you want to be: it probably isn’t someone who cheats.
5. You've got this.
   You can achieve your goals without cheating! Successful university students adopt effective and ethical approaches to learning and studying. There are resources on campus (like SASS) that can help.
6. Pride and self-respect from grades.
   You’ll feel a sense of satisfaction and receive a self-respect boost from grades you’ve earned honestly.

Plagiarism is probably the most well-known departure from academic integrity. Plagiarism means using someone else’s ideas, words, or work—their intellectual property—and, intentionally or not, representing them as your own. This definition also includes self-plagiarism, the practice of submitting the same work for credit in more than one course without permission. 

Some examples of plagiarism:

• copying or using quotations or paraphrasing material from any source (e.g., a journal, book, the internet, artificial intelligence, interview, newspaper, song, film, letter, email, etc.) without appropriate acknowledgement in both your paper and its reference list 
• copying from another student or from an online essay repository
• paraphrasing so closely that most of the structure and phrasing resembles that of the original source
• copying diagrams, images, figures, or charts without acknowledgement
• using ideas that others have given you in conversations or over email without acknowledgement
• submitting the same piece of work in more than one course without the permission of the instructor. 

However, you can still build on and explore other people’s ideas and words; in fact, you must do so! All scholarship is built on what came before it. So long as you acknowledge the sources of your words and ideas, you are not plagiarizing—in fact, you are doing what you’re supposed to do!

Think of it this way: It’s not that you have to cite sources, it’s that you get to cite them.

You can avoid plagiarism by:

• learning how to take effective notes from sources
• planning ahead to give yourself enough time to complete your assignments on your own
• strengthening your writing skills 
• understanding when, why, and how to cite sources, including material generated by artificial intelligence 
• following standard documentation formats (e.g., MLA, APA, Chicago)
• properly integrating sources with your own insights
• following the assessment instructions and course policies. 

Keep reading to learn more about how to avoid plagiarism (see especially the “Academic integrity and writing” section of this tutorial).

Unauthorized content generation refers to the creation of academic work, whether in whole or in part, using unapproved or undeclared technological or human assistance. Some examples of unauthorized content generation:

• using artificial intelligence tools to generate all or part of an assignment—including text, code, images, videos, or slides—without the permission of your instructor 
• submitting assignments completed by or with the assistance of solution-generating digital forums, websites, or applications.

Digital tools and resources can be used to support your learning in a variety of ways. However, if you plan to use generative artificial intelligence or a digital help application for work that you’ll submit for academic credit, progression, or award, you must first confirm whether your proposed use is acceptable with your instructor, advisor, or lab supervisor. Check your course syllabus for policies focusing on technology and generative artificial tools or ask your TA or professor directly. Keep in mind that policies might vary from one course or department to another. 

If your instructor indicates that content generation tools are permitted, remember to:

• cite generated content according to the course style guide (see, for instance, APA, MLA, and Chicago)
• confirm the accuracy and existence of sources and information referenced by generative AI
• acknowledge use of content generation tools for tasks such as proofreading, brainstorming, or sorting data
• keep in mind that policies are likely to change as technology evolves. 

Outsourcing academic work to a third party—another student, a friend or family member, or a commercial provider—and submitting it as your own is known as contract cheating. Contract cheating is considered a form of plagiarism. Some examples of contracting cheating: 

• purchasing an essay from an essay mill and submitting it as your own work
• submitting an assignment completed for you by a friend, family member, or peer
• submitting homework obtained from a tutoring or study site

Reaching out for academic support—whether from a peer, tutor, or digital service—when you’re unsure about your coursework can be a successful academic strategy. However, you should never accept help from anyone who offers to do the work for you. Doing so not only deprives you of valuable opportunities for learning, but it can also compromise your personal security and privacy. Students who purchase academic work from a contract cheating service put themselves at risk of blackmail and extortion. 

You can avoid contract cheating by submitting original work and seeking help from official sources. There are many academic supports available at Queen’s:

• consult your professor or TA
• make an appointment with Student Academic Success Services, 
• hire a tutor through ASUS Peer Tutoring,
• attend a study session run by Englinks or the Math Help Centre. 

See this list of subject specific academic resources from more information. 

Instructors set specific rules when assigning assessments. For instance, some instructors will allow you to use an aid, like a calculator for a math exam or a typed sheet of notes for a history exam—but sometimes they won’t. 

Using unauthorized materials means breaking the rules by:

• possessing or using unauthorized study materials, aids, or electronic devices during a test or exam (in person or remote)
• copying from another student’s test paper or messaging your classmates for answers during an exam (in person or remote)
• receiving answers from an exam or test bank website.

Students who use unauthorized materials give themselves a dishonest advantage over their classmates, which damages the community and relationships within it.

Some students may believe cheating on a test or assignment is their only option if they aren’t prepared. You can avoid using unauthorized materials by: 

• understanding the course material and expectations (see Academics 101)
• managing your time well and avoiding procrastination throughout the term
• preparing well for tests and exams (see understanding the exam expectations, memory, test anxiety, and study techniques)
• knowing what aids your professor will and won’t allow you to use on assessments.

You commit deception when you misrepresent yourself, your work, or your relationship to Queen’s. Some examples of deception:

• fabricating or falsifying research data, including using information generated by artificial intelligence, without checking the validity
• making up a citation or fact
• impersonating someone in a test or exam
• creating or altering transcripts or other official academic documents
• misrepresenting any data or information (for example, submitting a take-home exam that somebody else wrote, in whole or in part, for you).

To avoid deception: 

• plan ahead so that you have time to find materials, gather data, do your readings, or study course content. 
• always honestly portray your own and others’ work. Sometimes what you perceive to be an error in your calculations, or a seemingly insignificant data point can turn out to be just as valuable as what you expected to find.

It is extremely unlikely that you could commit deception by accident; this category of academic dishonesty takes purposeful effort. Deception is a deliberate act of cheating.

Facilitation refers to enabling another person to commit a breach of academic integrity by, for example:

• knowingly allowing someone else to copy part, or all, of your essay or assignment
• providing information about exam questions or possible answers to another student during an online or take-home exam window
• selling term papers or assignments.

Even if you help someone else cheat, rather than cheat in your own work, you can face serious consequences.  

Most forms of facilitation require deliberate effort; you can avoid committing this departure by focusing on your own work and encouraging others do the same. However, it can be challenging to refuse a friend who asks for help with an assignment. Instead of showing a friend the completed problems or the draft of your paper:

• work through the classroom examples together to clarify problem-solving steps 
• ask your friend prompting questions to help them clarify the ideas for their essay
• form an exam study group; practice concepts by teaching one another.       

Students and professors at Queen’s own the intellectual property rights to their academic work. This means that you may not use or sell their work—for personal, professional, or academic advantage—without their authorization. For example:

• Instructors provide slides, handouts, assignments, and exams for educational purposes. If people use course materials for other purposes (uploading them to a note-sharing website or providing them to a study-prep service, for example), they are breaking copyright law and the bonds of trust between instructors and students. They are also giving future students an unfair advantage. 
• If students access file-sharing sites and use the materials, they may be violating both academic integrity and copyright law. 

If you would like to distribute or share course materials, you need to ask your professor’s permission. If you would like to access past exams or assignments, ask your instructors if they would share sample questions or indicate if there's a place to access past assessments (like an exam bank) that they have consented to. 

Collaborating with your peers is an important part of academic life. Through in-class or virtual discussions, partnerships, and groupwork, you’ll learn to articulate your own perspective and see issues and ideas from other points of view. You professor may even assign a group project to assess the development of these skills. However, if you work with others on an assessment that will be submitted for a grade without the permission of your instructor, you may commit the departure of unauthorized collaboration. Some examples of unauthorized collaboration:

• working with others on homework problems that are meant to be completed individually
• jointly completing an in-person or take-home exam
• collaboratively writing a final paper
• communicating with another person during an exam 
• using a classmate’s work for reference when completing your own

When you collaborate with others on work that is meant to be completed independently, you lose out on an opportunity to show your knowledge and understanding and to receive feedback tailored to where you are in your learning. However, this doesn’t mean that all your work needs to be completed in isolation. Instead, try emulating the practices you see in seminars, lectures, and conferences:

• encourage a classmate to strengthen their argumentation during a class peer-review session
• make a SASS appointment to get feedback on the clarity of your work
• form an exam study group; practice concepts by teaching one another
• connect with a subject librarian for help finding research materials 

When in doubt, err on the side of caution or check with the instructor to determine if, and to what extent, you can work with others on any assignment or task that will be submitted for marks. Never guess or assume, no matter what “everyone else” is doing. 

When students support standards of academic integrity, they realize their responsibilities in regard to ethical behavior. This core value of the institution becomes their own individual core value, which they carry into their future careers. 

-Nonis & Swift, 2001

Queen’s University, as well as each of its Faculties and Schools, sets out rules and regulations that all students are expected to follow. Failure to abide by academic rules may constitute a departure from academic integrity. Some examples of this type of departure include: 

• failing to follow rules imposed by course instructors (including teaching assistants and guest lecturers) regarding the preparation, writing, and submission of academic work
• failing to follow rules set out by the Exams Office or course instructors in the writing of tests and examinations
• failing to follow regulations governing ethics review
• removing materials from the library or hiding them from other students so they can’t use them to prepare for an exam or assignment
• failing to comply with assigned remedies and sanctions resulting from a departure from academic integrity.

You can avoid such a departure by familiarizing yourself with the rules and regulations imposed by your instructors, academic department, Faculty or School, and the University. Consult the course syllabus and onQ page, watch for notifications from your instructor or the Exams Office at test time, and review your Faculty’s academic calendar. Ask questions if any of the information is unclear.  

If you are found to have committed a departure from academic integrity, make sure you understand and comply with the academic remedies outlined by your instructor or Faculty. You can also contact the Office of the University Ombudsperson for guidance in navigating the academic integrity investigation process. If you’d like advice on how to avoid a similar departure in future, talk to your professors or make an appointment with one of SASS’ Academic Skills and Writing Specialists.   

We get it: it can be challenging to keep up with coursework, submit assignments on time, and still have time to manage the rest of your life.

Student Academic Success Services is here to help make sure that students have the skills in place to avoid departures from academic integrity. In fact, two of the most common reasons why students depart from academic integrity are poor time management and lack of knowledge, both of which can be overcome with a little effort. You can do it—and we can help!

We offer a variety of resources, from workshops to online resources to one-on-one consultations.

Academic Integrity Workshops

Throughout the term, SASS offers workshops on issues related to academic integrity. For example, we have workshops on

• effective time management to help you avoid time crunches that might tempt you to cut corners
• note-taking skills to help you ensure that you’ve accurately recorded source material and cited the sources from which you’ve borrowed
• how to practice academic integrity in your writing assignments.

SASS handouts and resources

Looking for resources you can read online right now? We have:

• a resource on how to avoid plagiarism in academic writing
• an interactive module on academic integrity (includes practice questions)
• tools for planning assignments, managing your time, and preparing for exams.

Writing & Learning appointments

Our expert staff of professional writing consultants and academic skills specialists can help you learn to

• integrate sources into your work
• properly paraphrase, quote, and use citations
• manage your time to avoid the temptation to take short cuts.

Book an appointment online to find out how we can support your writing and learning.

Students often have specific questions about what is and isn’t considered an academic integrity issue. We answer some of these questions below (adapted from the Academic Integrity @ Queen’s website):

Is it true that if I paraphrase or slightly alter the wording from a source, I do not have to give credit?

This is not true. If you take anyone’s ideas or words and present them as your own argument or use them to support your argument, you must give appropriate credit. If you are unsure how to do so, read more citation resources or ask your instructor for help.

Is it true that as long as I provide a citation when I copy something, I am not plagiarizing?

Providing a citation is a good start, but you must add quotation marks if you are copying someone’s idea word for word.

Am I allowed to re-submit previous assignments since I own them?

Although this may seem logical, it is prohibited and an example of “self-plagiarism.” If you truly feel that your previous work is related to your current assignment or project, talk to your instructor(s) to see if it can be re-submitted or revised for an alternate submission.

Since my instructor did not ask for my sources, do I need to include any?

Just because your instructor did not ask for them, it is not a legitimate excuse to avoid giving proper credit. You may still be found to have committed plagiarism if you don’t. Further, it is good practice to include your sources in order to acknowledge where your ideas come from.

Is it okay if I forgot or didn’t know that I was plagiarizing/breaching other aspects of academic integrity?

It is your responsibility to understand what conduct is not permitted at the University. “Not knowing” is not an excuse, so you should familiarize yourself with the forms of academic dishonesty and school policies or ask your instructor if you are still unclear.

Is sharing information with friends on an assignment all right?

There is a distinction between inappropriate collaboration and ethical group work. If the work is meant to be independent, you are breaching academic integrity by discussing answers with others. If your instructor does not address the issue, it is your responsibility to find out, rather than assume that it is collaborative group work.

Is it true that submitting papers that I buy online is not plagiarizing, since they are available?

This is definitely not true. The act of purchasing a paper to submit is cheating.

Will I be at a disadvantage if everyone cheats except for me?

If others are earning their marks or even their degrees by cheating their way through, it won’t be long before they get caught. Furthermore, they will not develop the necessary skills for life and work after university. Holding yourself to high standards of academic integrity in learning will pay off in the future and make you proud of a degree that you worked hard to get.

Do I need to cite ChatGPT if my instructor has given the class permission to use it to revise our assignments before submission?

Yes, even if your instructor has given you permission to use generative AI tools, you must still acknowledge usage. Check your syllabus or your disciplinary style guide (e.g., APA, MLA, CMoS) for specific advice on how to cite generative AI.  

Still have questions about academic integrity?

Remember, you don’t have to master these skills all by yourself. Many people and services at Queen’s can help you.

• Email us!
• Book a 1:1 appointment with an academic skills specialist or a professional writing consultant.
• Complete our interactive online tutorial for a more in-depth look at academic integrity.

International Center for Academic Integrity. (2021, May 16). Fundamental Values of Academic Integrity.

Queen’s University Office of Academic Integrity. (2021, May 17). Responding to Investigations Related to Academic Integrity.

Queen’s University Senate. (2021, June 28). Senate Policy on Academic Integrity Procedures – Requirements of Faculties & Schools

Weimer, M. (2021, May 10). A Memo to Students About Cheating. The Teaching Professor.