Departmental Statement
on Academic Integrity

The faculty and staff of the History Department are unequivocally committed to the Student Code of Conduct regarding plagiarism and cheating. All students enrolled in history courses should know that there is zero tolerance for all forms of plagiarism and cheating as defined in the Student Handbook:

Arkansas State University enthusiastically promotes academic integrity and professional ethics among all members of the ASU academic community. Violations of this policy are considered as serious misconduct and may result in disciplinary action and severe penalties.

A. PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism is the act of taking and/or using the ideas, work, and/or writings of another person as one's own.

1. To avoid plagiarism, give written credit and acknowledgment to the source of thoughts, ideas, and/or words,    whether you have used direct quotation, paraphrasing, or just a reference to a general idea.
2. If you directly quote works written by someone else, enclose the quotation with quotation marks and provide an appropriate citation (e.g., footnote, endnote, bibliographic reference).
3. Research, as well as the complete written paper, must be the work of the person seeking academic credit for the course. (Papers, book reports, projects, and/or other class assignments).

Discipline: Faculty members may respond to cases of plagiarism in any of the following ways:

1.  Return the paper or other item for rewriting; the grade may be lowered.
2.  Give a failing grade on the paper or other item - "F" if a letter grade is used or zero if a numerical grade is used.
3.  Give the student who plagiarized a failing grade in the course.
4.  Recommend sanctions, including disciplinary expulsion from the university. 

B. CHEATING

Cheating is an act of dishonesty with the intention of obtaining and/or using information in a fraudulent manner. Cheating includes, but is not limited to:

1.  Observing and/or copying from another student's test paper, reports, computer files, and/or other class assignments.
2.  Giving or receiving assistance during an examination period: (This includes providing specific answers to subsequent examinees and/or dispensing or receiving information that would allow the student to have an unfair advantage in the examination over students who did not possess such information.)
3.  Using class notes, outlines, and other unauthorized information during an examination period.
4.  Using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, or soliciting, in part or entirely, the contents of an examination or other assignment not authorized by the professor of the class.
5.  Using for credit in one class a term paper, book report, project, or class assignment written for credit in another without the knowledge and permission of the professor of the class.
6.  Exchanging places with another person for the purposes of taking an examination or completing other assignments.

Discipline: Faculty members may respond to cases of cheating in any of the following ways:

1. Allow the testing to progress without interruption, informing the offending student about the offense - and award a failing grade on the test - "F" if a letter grade is used or zero if a numerical grade is used.

2. Seize the test of the offending student and give a failing grade on the paper.

3. Give the offending student a failing grade in the course.

4. Recommend sanctions, including disciplinary expulsion from the university. All cases should be referred to the student conduct system.