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Syllabus Policy Language

Honor Code

Language that you might use to highlight the Honor Code in a syllabus for an undergraduate course. (source: email from Patrick Murphy, August 11, 2016)

Options for Wording for the Syllabus

Option A

Notre Dame students are expected to abide by Academic Code of Honor Pledge. “As a member of the Notre Dame community, I will not participate in or tolerate academic dishonesty.”

Option B

“This class follows the binding Code of Honor at Notre Dame.  The graded work you do in this class must be your own. In the case where you collaborate with other students make sure to fairly attribute their contribution to your project.”

 Option C

“All students must familiarize themselves with the Honor Code on the University’s website and pledge to observe its provisions in all written and oral work, including oral presentations, quizzes and exams, and drafts and final versions of essays.”

Option D

Entering Notre Dame you were required to study the on-line edition of the Academic Code of Honor, to pass a quiz on it, and to sign a pledge to abide by it. The full Code and a Student Guide to the Academic code of Honor are available at: http://honorcode.nd.edu. Perhaps the most fundamental sentence is the beginning of section IV-B:

The pledge to uphold the Academic Code of Honor includes an understanding that a student’s submitted work, graded or ungraded – examinations, draft copies, papers, homework assignments, extra credit work, etc. –  must be his or her own.

Option E 

The Code of Honor will be strictly applied as described in The Academic Code of Honor Handbook.  Students will not give or receive aid on exams. This includes, but is not limited to, viewing the exams of others, sharing answers with others, and making unauthorized use of books or notes while taking the exam. For the group project, teams must work completely independently. Relying on solutions from other groups, whether or not they are currently in the course, constitutes plagiarism.  

Option F

I do read this aloud to the students on Day 1 when we go over the syllabus and attempt then to convey that it’s more important to do poorly on an assignment or test and know you came by it honestly than to do wrong:

Finally, academic integrity is required.  We will not tolerate academic dishonesty in any form.  The University’s Honor Code (http://honorcode.nd.edu/) reminds our community of our shared purpose both within the institute of academia and as members of a broader humanity; the statement also outlines policy violation procedures.  Any questions regarding academic integrity, particularly regarding assignments in this course, should be directed to the instructor or TA.

Addendum to any of the above

The University provides faculty the use of Turnitin.com (http://turnitin.com/) through Sakai’s Assignments tool as a means to check papers for plagiarism.  Plagiarism is a serious honor code violation, and students must be vigilant in properly crediting their use of sources.  Always do your own work.

Options for Wording for Exams                            

Option 1

I use the following as a cover sheet on exams and again, have inherited this language from others:

CODE OF HONOR PLEDGE

I will not give or receive aid on this examination.  This includes discussing the exam with students who have not yet taken it.  I understand that if I am aware of cheating on this examination, I have an obligation to inform Professor <Last Name>.  I also understand that Professor <Last Name> will follow the University of Notre Dame Academic Code of Honor if he/she detects acts of academic dishonesty.

Signature:______________________________________ 

Date:_______________

Thanks for your cooperation in this important matter. As a final point, I would ask that you be diligent in holding or expanding office hours prior to exams and major projects so that students with questions can have them answered.

 

Option 2

This statement appears at the top of the exam.

The Academic Code of Honor applies to this exam.  In full compliance with this code, “as a member of the Notre Dame community, I will not participate in or tolerate academic dishonesty.”.

Signature:    ______________________________________                                                                                                                         

 

PLEASE READ THE ITEMS BELOW.

  • All students must sit as far as apart as possible and out of sight distance of other students’ exam papers. Any student observed to be looking in the direction of another student’s exam will be asked to leave without completing the exam.
  • All course materials, notes, books, electronic devices, and backpacks must be placed at the front of the exam room prior to the start of the exam.
  • Anybody who is found to have a cell phone or other electronic device during the exam will be asked to leave without completing the exam.
  • Bathroom breaks will be limited to genuine emergency needs to only one person at a time and will be monitored.
  • Print your name at the top of all pages