1 Academic Integrity: Introduction
Academic Integrity: A shared responsibility
As a student at East Central University you are a part of an academic community that is governed by the fundamental principles of academic integrity. It is important for all members of the this community, professors and students alike, to uphold these principles for the advancement of academic scholarship and the continued building of knowledge.
Why you should care
A degree or certificate that is achieved without compromising your own integrity, and simultaneously upholding ECU’s academic integrity standards, is a true representation of all the hard work and dedication you put into your studies. You can therefore rightfully be proud of your achievement as you maintained your reputation as well as that of ECU.
You will also be well prepared for success in your career as you have put the necessary time and effort into your work, gained much knowledge and developed many valuable skills, such as research, critical thinking and writing skills and much more.
So what does Academic Integrity mean?
Key Takeaway
The International Center for Academic Integrity (2013), defines Academic Integrity as a commitment to uphold six fundamental values in the academic community, even when faced with adversity:
- honesty
- trust
- fairness
- respect
- responsibility
- courage
The following pages will define the six academic integrity values in more detail and will give you various real life scenarios to illustrate appropriate and inappropriate actions. The scenarios are adapted from the Integrity Matters app (MusicCentric Technologies, 2018).
