4 Academic Integrity Values: Responsibility and Courage
Responsibility: you show responsible behavior when you lead by example, when you resist negative peer pressure, and when you discourage others from violating academic integrity principles. Being responsible means being accountable to yourself and others and to do your work to the best of your abilities.
Responsibility with AI means taking ownership of all content you submit, regardless of whether AI was involved in its creation. You are responsible for fact-checking AI output, ensuring it meets assignment requirements, and understanding the material well enough to discuss or defend it. You’re also responsible for learning essential skills even when AI could complete tasks for you.
Scenario: Responsibility
You have difficulties with your studies, especially in one of your courses. You have been stuck on your essay for a whole week already. You are afraid that you may fail the course if you can’t turn this situation around. What should you do?
Click on the responses to see the answers to each.
Scenario: Responsibility in AI Use
You’re working on a group project where one member suggests using AI to write the entire literature review section to save time. The instructor hasn’t explicitly prohibited this, but hasn’t authorized it either.
Responsible actions:
- Clarify with your instructor what AI use is appropriate for the project
- Ensure all group members understand and agree on AI use policies
- Take responsibility for verifying the accuracy of any AI-generated content
- Make sure you can explain and defend all parts of your submission
Courage: to uphold academic integrity standards requires courage to resist temptations for the “easy way out” and to speak up against wrongdoing.
Courage in the AI era means resisting the temptation to use AI inappropriately even when it seems easier, having difficult conversations with peers about responsible AI use, and being willing to do the intellectual work necessary for genuine learning even when AI could provide shortcuts.
Scenario: Courage
You are entering the room to write your final exam. You see a sign that reads “No electronic devices permitted. Please leave them at the front. You may pick them up after you have finished the exam”. As you enter, you see your classmates put their phones in their pockets. What might you do?
Click on the responses to see the answers to each.
Scenario: Courage and AI Misuse
During a take-home exam, you see a classmate posting questions from the exam in an AI chat and getting detailed answers, which is clearly prohibited. The classmate encourages you to do the same, saying “everyone does it” and the instructor will never know.
Courageous responses:
- Refuse to participate in the academic integrity violation
- Complete your own work according to the instructor’s guidelines
- Consider speaking with the instructor about the policy violation
- Stand firm in your commitment to learning and integrity
Hopefully, these scenarios showed you that you always have the opportunity to do the right thing, and that there is help available if you need it. It is up to you to make the appropriate choices.
