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Honor Code

“Let the truth be taught by example and precept—that to steal is evil, that to cheat is wrong, that to lie is a reproach to anyone who indulges in it.” - President Gordon B. Hinckley

The first injunction of the BYU–Hawaii Honor Code is the call to "be honest." Students come to the university not only to improve their minds, gain knowledge, and develop skills that will assist them in their life's work but also to build character. “President David O. McKay taught that character is the highest aim of education" (The Aims of a BYU–Hawaii Education, p. 6). The purpose of the BYU–Hawaii Academic Honesty Policy is to assist in fulfilling that goal.

BYU–Hawaii students should seek to be honest in their dealings with others. They are required to complete their own work and be evaluated based upon that work. They are required to avoid academic dishonesty and misconduct in all its forms, including but not limited to plagiarism, fabrication or falsification, cheating, and other academic misconduct.

Plagiarism

Intentional plagiarism is a form of intellectual theft that violates widely recognized principles of academic integrity as well as the Honor Code. Such plagiarism may subject the student to appropriate disciplinary action administered through the university Office of Honor, in addition to academic sanctions that may be applied by an instructor. Inadvertent plagiarism, which may not be a violation of the Honor Code, is nevertheless a form of intellectual carelessness that is unacceptable in the academic community. Plagiarism of any kind is completely contrary to the established practices of higher education where all members of the university are expected to acknowledge the original intellectual work of others that is included in their own work. In some cases, plagiarism may also involve violations of copyright law.

Intentional Plagiarism

Intentional plagiarism is the deliberate act of representing the words, ideas, or data of another as one's own without providing proper attribution to the author through quotation, reference, or footnote.

Inadvertent Plagiarism

Inadvertent plagiarism involves the inappropriate, but nondeliberate, use of another's words, ideas, or data without proper attribution. Inadvertent plagiarism usually results from an ignorant failure to follow established rules for documenting sources or from simply not being sufficiently careful in research and writing. Inadvertent plagiarism is not a violation of the Honor Code, but it is a form of academic misconduct for which an instructor can impose appropriate academic sanctions. Students who are in doubt as to whether they are providing proper attribution have the responsibility to consult with their instructor and obtain guidance.

Examples of plagiarism include:

Direct Plagiarism - The verbatim copying of an original source without acknowledging the source.

Paraphrased Plagiarism - the paraphrasing, without acknowledgment, of ideas from another that the reader might mistake for the author's own.

Plagiarism Mosaic - The borrowing of words, ideas, or data from an original source and blending this original material with one's own without acknowledging the source.

Insufficient Acknowledgement - The partial or incomplete attribution of words, ideas, or data from an original source.

Plagiarism may occur with respect to unpublished as well as published material. Copying another student's work and submitting it as one's own individual work without proper attribution is a serious form of plagiarism.

Fabrication or Falsification

Fabrication or falsification is a form of dishonesty where a student invents or distorts the origin or content of information. Examples include:

  • Citing a source that does not exist.
  • Attributing to a source ideas and information that are not included in the source.
  • Citing a source for a proposition that it does not support.
  • Citing a source in a bibliography when the source was neither consulted nor cited in the body of the paper.
  • Intentionally distorting the meaning or applicability of data.
  • Inventing data or statistical results to support conclusions.

Cheating

Cheating is a form of dishonesty where a student attempts to give the appearance of a level of knowledge or skill that the student has not obtained. Examples include:

  • Copying from another person's work during an examination or while completing an assignment.
  • Allowing someone to copy during an examination or while completing an assignment.
  • Using unauthorized materials during an examination or while completing an assignment.
  • Collaborating on an examination or assignment without authorization.
  • Taking an examination or completing an assignment for another, or permitting another to take an examination or to complete an assignment in place of the student.

Other Academic Misconduct

Academic misconduct includes other academically dishonest, deceitful, or inappropriate acts that are intentionally committed. Examples of such acts include but are not limited to:

  • Inappropriately providing or receiving information or academic work so as to gain an unfair advantage over others.
  • Planning with another to commit any act of academic dishonesty.
  • Attempting to gain an unfair academic advantage for oneself or another by bribery or by any act of offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting anything of value to another for such purpose.
  • Changing or altering grades or other official educational records.
  • Obtaining or providing to another a test or answers to a test that has not yet been administered.
  • Breaking and entering into a building or office for the purpose of obtaining a test or answer to a test.
  • Continuing work on an examination or assignment after the allocated time has elapsed.
  • Submitting the same work for more than one class without disclosure and approval.

Faculty are responsible to establish and communicate to students their expectations of behavior with respect to academic honesty and the student's conduct in the course. Instructors should investigate alleged academic dishonesty, determine the facts, and take appropriate action. In a case where academic dishonesty is determined to have occurred, the instructor is encouraged to notify the Office of Honor of the incident as a means of encouraging behavior change as well as identifying and discouraging repeated violations. In addition, the instructor is encouraged to consult with the faculty dean concerning disciplinary actions to be taken. If the incident of academic dishonesty involves the violation of a public law, such as breaking and entering into an office or stealing an examination, the instructor should consult with Campus Security.

Applicable Actions

A wide range of possible actions exists for cases of academic dishonesty. Instructors should take actions that are appropriate under the circumstances and should attempt to reach an understanding with the affected student on the imposition of an appropriate action. In some cases, the program, the faculty, or the university may also take actions independent of the instructor. Examples of possible actions include but are not limited to the following:

1. For Instructors, Programs, Faculties

  • Reprimanding the student orally or in writing.
  • Requiring work affected by academic dishonesty to be redone.
  • Administering a lower or failing grade on the affected assignment or test.
  • Administering a lower or failing grade for the course (even if the student withdraws from the course).
  • Removing the student from the course.
  • Recommending probation, suspension, or dismissal.

2. For the University

  • The university may elect to discipline a student for academic dishonesty in addition to, or independently from, discipline imposed by a faculty member or a program. University discipline may be administered through the Office of Honor or through the Dean of Students Office.
  • The university may report an incident of academic misconduct to appropriate law enforcement officials and may prosecute an affected student if the act in question involves the commission of a crime (e.g., breaking into an office or building, stealing an examination, etc.)

3. Office of Honor Involvement

  • The Office of Honor will maintain a record of all violations of this Academic Honesty Policy reported to it by faculty. If the occurrence is sufficiently egregious or if a pattern of dishonesty or misconduct is discovered, the Office of Honor may take additional action on behalf of the university based upon the nature of the infraction(s).
  • The Office of Honor, in consultation with the involved academic personnel, may determine to place a student on probation or to suspend or dismiss a student for academic dishonesty and other forms of academic misconduct.
  • The university may elect to place an affected student on probation or to suspend or dismiss the student, and to place a temporary or permanent notation on the student’s permanent academic transcript that he or she was suspended or dismissed due to academic misconduct.

Shared Responsibility Policy Statement

Students are responsible not only to adhere to the Honor Code requirement to be honest but also to assist other students in fulfilling their commitment to be honest.

Faculty Responsibility for Academic Integrity

Faculty are responsible to establish and communicate to students their expectations of behavior with respect to academic honesty and the students' conduct in the course. The responsible instructor shall investigate the incident, determine and take appropriate action. The instructor reports to the Office of Honor the final disposition of any incident of academic dishonesty by completing an Academic Dishonesty Student Violation Report.

If the incident of academic dishonesty involves the violation of a public law, e.g., breaking and entering into an office or stealing an examination, the act should be reported to Campus Security.

If an affected student disagrees with the determination or action and is unable to resolve the matter to the mutual satisfaction of the student and the instructor, the student may have the matter reviewed through the university's grievance process. Read the Student Academic Grievance Procedure

Faculty Academic Integrity

The substantive standards of academic honesty stated in this policy also apply to faculty. Indeed, all members of the BYU–Hawaii community are expected to act according to the highest principles of academic integrity.