Academic Integrity at Bow Valley College

Principles of Academic Integrity

According to The Center for Academic Integrity, academic integrity is "commitment, even in the face of adversity, to six fundamental values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility, and courage. From these values flow principles of behavior that enable academic communities to translate ideals into action"(International Center for Academic Integrity,, n.d., "Join ICAI in advancing academic integrity").

International Center for Academic Integrity (n.d.). [Homepage]. http://www.academicintegrity.org/


Related Online Guides from the RGO Library:

Use this guide to learn:

        1. The Ethics of information use: Learn about intellectual property (ideas and creations), academic integrity (doing your own work honestly), and plagiarism (copying without giving credit).

        2. College Rules: Understand what your school, Bow Valley College, says about doing your work honestly. Learn about what happens if you don't follow the rules.

        3. How to avoid Copying: Get tips on how to avoid plagiarism. Use your own words and ideas in your assignments.

        4. How to respect Differences: Learn about the values that are important in school. It's not just about rules; it's also about respecting different ways people think.

        5. How to give Credit: Find out why it's important to tell where you got your information. 

        6. Wher to join a Session: Attend one of our workshops or complete a tutorial to learn about academic integrity and why you should cite your sources.

 

Let's break down what Bow Valley College (BVC) expects from you in terms of being an honest student.

BVC wants you to play fair and follow their academic integrity policies. If you don't, there are some pretty serious consequences. One thing you should not do is something called plagiarism. According to BVC's rule book, plagiarism is when you use ideas, words, or work from another person or even a computer (like artificial intelligence) without saying that it is from someone else. And if you get caught doing this, the consequences are not great. You might get a failing grade, be put on probation (that's a warning), or, in serious cases, get kicked out of your class or even the whole college!

Here are some examples of what NOT to do:

     • Don't use a smart computer program like ChatGPT to write your assignment and pretend it's all yours

     • Never buy a paper or let someone else do your work

     • No stealing or borrowing without permission

     • Don't just copy and paste from different places without saying where you got it

     • Never submit the same assignment more than once 

     • Don't let others copy your work or sell it to them

     • If you copy something exactly, use quotation marks and give credit

     • Always cite your sources when using cool ideas, concepts, or facts, even if you put them in your own words

     • Paraphrase smartly – don't just change a few words here and there

     • Don't pretend you read something when you didn't – be honest about where you found your info

Remember, playing by the rules keeps things fair, making you a great student!


Watch this video with examples of plagiarism from the University of Alberta:

Avoiding plagiarism is simple - always properly cite the original source of the ideas and research findings that you are using in an essay or research paper. 

To avoid plagiarism, you just need to follow these simple rules:

        1. Cite Your Sources: Whenever you use someone else's ideas or research findings, give them credit. It doesn't matter if you're quoting, paraphrasing, or summarizing – use a citation style like APA or MLA to show where you got the information.

        2. Time Management: Plan out your research and writing so you have enough time to do everything properly. Rushing is a shortcut to trouble.

        3. Take Clear Notes: Keep track of when and where you use a source. Good notes are important to make sure you remember where you got your information.

        4. Use Your Brain First: Before diving into sources, come up with your own ideas. Build your essay around them, and then look for sources to back you up. 

        5. Quoting? Use Quotation Marks: If you copy someone's exact words, be a good sport and put those words in quotation marks. 

        6. Paraphrasing? Still Cite It: Even if you put things in your own words, give credit to the person who came up with the idea. 

        7. Organize Your Sources: Make an account and use the "folder" feature in the library. You can use that to organize the sources you find, even if you don't use them. 

        8. Ask for Help: If you're ever confused, ask your teacher, or go to the library for help. There are citation guides and friendly people who know their stuff.

To summarize, give credit where it's due, be organized, and when in doubt, ask for help. 

   

Use this flowchart to help determine if you need to cite a source to avoid plagiarism: 

Why You Must Cite Sources

This video explains some of the reasons why it is important to cite sources when writing an academic research paper.