Academic Integrity

The Graduate College is committed to a culture of academic excellence and integrity in all aspects of research and scholarly work, from coursework through culminating projects to the publication of research results. Academic integrity means honesty and responsibility in your coursework, scholarship, and research.

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All Arizona State University graduate students are required to complete an Academic Integrity Tutorial in the first semester of Graduate Study. You’ll find this under your My ASU.

Why is academic integrity important?

In an era when accusations of plagiarism erupt regularly, your reputation of integrity will be priceless. You and your work will be trusted in academia, research and your future career.

There are five general areas of academic dishonesty, including but not limited to:

1. Cheating on an academic evaluation or assignment.

2. Plagiarizing.

3. Academic deceit, such as fabricating data or information.

4. Aiding academic integrity policy violations and inappropriately collaborating.

5. Falsifying academic records.

In addition to and overlapping with these five general areas, there are general rules for conducting responsible research. To learn more, review ASU’s misconduct in research.

As a top-ranked college and New American University, ASU must preserve its reputation for excellence and quality. Therefore, any student who fails to meet ASU standards of academic integrity can suffer serious consequences.

Consequences of non-compliance can be significant, including:

• Reduced or failing grade for an assignment or course.

• An "XE" grade which is usually permanent on the student's official transcript with the notation "failure due to academic dishonesty."

• Federal granting agencies have barred grant applicants who violated academic integrity standards from receiving grants or sitting on grant panels for multiple years.

• Expulsion or temporary removal from a major or program of study within an ASU school or college.

Serious violations can result in the revocation of a degree years after it was granted. The pressure to finish a degree may be intense but it can’t be as hard as picking up the pieces of your life when you are stripped of a degree that you worked hard and long to earn.

There are numerous resources available to help you learn more about doing your part.  For help closer to home, each college/school has an Academic Integrity Officer who is there to answer your questions, help you sustain a culture of academic integrity and increase your awareness about ASU’s Academic Integrity Policy.

Resources

1. ASU’s Academic Integrity tutorial
2. Sun Devil Integrity
   • ASU Libraries, Citation Styles guide, and Academic Integrity and Plagiarism resources
   • Ethics@ASU
   • ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism (Cronkite Resources on Plagiarism Fabrication and Sourcing) describes plagiarism from a journalist’s perspective
3. The Visual Communication Guy, Did I Plagiarize?