Academic Integrity

This Academic Integrity Tutorial is designed to help you learn more about academic honesty in relation to course projects, papers and exams. The information in this tutorial is applicable for all subject and research areas at any level of study.

After completing this tutorial you will be able to:

• Explain the concept of ‘academic integrity’ and identify five different kinds of academic dishonesty.
• Identify the key points of VCSU's Policy on Academic Integrity and the procedures and penalties associated with violating VCSU's Policy.
• Differentiate between the acceptable use of another’s ideas/words and plagiarism.
• Identify several reasons why it is essential to document/reference sources of information/ideas.
• Recognize three strategies you can use to incorporate another person's ideas/words into your own work.
• Identify the elements that are required for a complete reference to a source of information and be familiar with referencing styles.
• Learn where you can get help at VCSU from a profesional librarian if you have questions about using or referencing material appropriately.
• Understand the importance of seeking help if you have questions regarding any issue associated with academic integrity.

The following sections of this Tutorial provide information about academic integrity and how to demonstrate it. When you apply these ideas and strategies in your academic work, you will be demonstrating your own academic integrity. 

• Academic Integrity - Definitions and discussion
• Academic Dishonesty - Definitions and discussion
• Plagiarism - Definition, examples and importance of documenting sources
• Citing Sources - How to get credit for your own work
• Introduction to APA Style - Brief introduction to the most important components of APA style
• Apply Your Skills - Recognizing plagiarism & acknowledging sources

You can work through the tutorial step-by-step by following the navigational tabs at the top of the page, or follow your own sequence by using the table of contents on each page.

If you are accessing this tutorial for a class, your instructor may invite you to take a self-test on Blackboard after you have completed reviewing the content. Take this opportunity to test your own knowledge (what you are expected to know is explained in the list above).