Why a tutorial on 'Academic Integrity'?

A recent article in the Guardian Newspaper points out that: 'However much we warn students of the dire consequences of plagiarism, some continue to take the risk, partly because the consequences tend not to be so dire after all' Wolff, J. (2006). The article serves to highlight the fact that a catch-and-punish approach to plagiarism is unlikely to deter anyone from cheating in this way. What needs to happen is that our collective values make plagiarism in the cut and paste era, unacceptable - rather like drinking and driving.

There are two reasons why a tutorial on 'Academic Integrity' is needed, and you will benefit from participating in it. Firstly, a university is a community of learners, composed of students, lecturers, researchers and administrators, all of whom benefit from being protected by the rules of academic integrity. Quite simply, if we do not respect the intellectual property of others, we can hardly expect others to respect our ideas and the worth of what we produce. The second reason is that the values of academic integrity have to be shared if its benefits are to influence us all. It's only as universities build a consensus about what is important about 'academic integrity' that a 'community of integrity' is built up. This tutorial seeks to contribute to that process.

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