ACADEMIC HONOR POLICY
AND GRADE APPEALS SYSTEM
Jennifer N. Buchanan, Ph.D.Assistant Vice President for Faculty Development and
AdvancementTHE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
Academic Integrity Survey
FSU mirrors other universitiesFaculty and teaching assistants as primary sources of information
Students and faculty disagree on what constitutes “serious” cheating
Hope to do survey again in 2012-13
Ways Undergraduates Reported Cheating
Sharing assignments (65%)Unauthorized collaboration (41%)Copying a few sentences from internet without citation (39%)
Copying a few sentences from written source without citation (38%)
Helping someone cheat on test (10%)
Faculty/Student Opinion Differences
Students rated the severity of penalties as higher (60% high/very high) than did faculty (15% high/very high)
Students rated faculty members’ understanding of the policy as higher (77% high/very high) than did faculty (25% high/very high)
Honor Code Assumptions
Strong majority of students (56%) disagree that they should be responsible for monitoring others
Unlikely to report fellow students (80%)
Even less likely to report friends
Conclusions and Themes
Cheating happensStudents assume you know more than you do about academic integrity
Students look to you for cues about whether cheating will be tolerated
Students will hesitate to informPrevention is importantOur involvement is critical
PreventionMutual respect between student and instructor
SyllabusConfident verbal reinforcement
Teaching meaning of plagiarism, esp. paraphrasing
Making cheating more difficult“Turn-it-in.com,” “SafeAssign” and other resources
Following through (learn policy)
Have a plan for test-time (verify independently)
Academic Honor PolicyFaculty play central roleCharges explained in detail Graduate student casesResponsibility to clarify group work and multiple submission expectations
Procedural Notes (check for prior record)
SanctionsResources
Academic Honor Policy By Semester
(Since New Policy in Fall 2005)
Fall 2005
Spring 2006
Summer 2006
Fall 2006
Spring 2007
Summer 2007
Fall 2007
Spring 2008
Summer 2008
Fall 2008
Spring 2009
Summer 2009
Fall 2009
Spring 2010
Summer 2010
Fall 2010
Spring 2011
Summer 2011
Fall 2011
Spring 2012
Summer 2012*
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
7365
18
77
67
17
91
58
8
103
74
31
122
77
40
102
146
31
99
159
18
* Through August 16, 2012
Num
ber o
f Vio
latio
ns
Academic Honor Policy Violations by Academic Year
(New Policy Effective Fall 2005)
2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12*0
50
100
150
200
250
300
46
76 80
156 161 157
208
239
279 280
Academic Year
Num
ber o
f Cas
es
Cases and Outcomes
Revocation of Degree0%
Dismissal0%
Suspension3%
Conduct Probation0%
Disciplinary Probation6%
Educational Activities2%
SRR Ethics2%
Additional Academic Work10%
Reduced Grade for the Assignment
9%Reduced Grade for
the Course7%
F in the Course14%
F on the Assignment48%
Reprimand (Verbal or Written)
0%
Upheld Sanction Proposed by the
Faculty0%
None0%
Not Responsible1%
2010-11 Academic YearSanctions
Grade Appeals SystemAlso involves integrityEmphasizes centrality of faculty judgment in grading process
Grade must be imposed in an arbitrary, capricious, or discriminatory manner to be overturned
Starts with evaluation (grading) standards expressed in syllabus
Minimize exposure through consistency
Resources Office of Faculty
Development and Advancement website http://fda.fsu.edu under Academics – Academic Honor Policy or Grade Appeals System
General Student Grievance Process
Supervising faculty member Department chair ODL resources at:
http://ctl.fsu.edu/explore/bestPractices/plagiarism.cfm
Me ([email protected])