Student Tips
K-State Wildcats have a tradition--The Honor Pledge. Imagine what future employers and graduate school acceptance committees will think when they see you have graduated from an institution where academic honesty is held in high esteem.
With nationally advertised scandals in many areas such as journalism and business, the K-State Honor & Integrity System is a refreshing attempt at helping students grow in integrity, not only in the realm of academics but in personal life as well. Take the Honor Pledge seriously in ALL of your academic work--faculty are assuming you know what is considered cheating. If you have doubts about your academic behavior (handing in the same work for two different classes, for example), please clarify with your instructor OR call us. We are here to help.
Quick Links
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Don't Go There! Strategies to AVOID Honor Pledge Violations
- Careful attention to your own academic duties is the best way to avoid allegations of academic dishonesty. If you are asked to do something that you FEEL is wrong or unethical, it probably is. Aiding someone in committing an academically dishonest act is just as serious as receiving the aid. These strategies may help you avoid Honor Pledge violations.
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What is the process if I have an honor pledge violation?
In most cases, your professor will file the report as an option 1 case (meaning he/she has determined the sanctions). As a student, you have a right to contest the allegations of an honor pledge violation. You may not contest the sanctions. If you contest, a Case Review Board is formed and you can follow guidelines to have an understanding of what will happen.
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To Do or NOT To Do? That IS the question!
- Review examples of Honor Pledge violations. This list of behaviors is not inclusive of all possible violations. When in doubt about whether your actions may violate the Honor Pledge, please consult with your instructor and call/email the Honor and Integrity System Director for further clarification.
Strategies for success
If you do not know what your instructor expects of you, ask. Some faculty assume students realize that working with others on assignments is not acceptable. If you have made a habit of working on homework assignments, take-home exams, and quizzes and using others' papers as your own, please take the time to ask the instructor if you are not clear about the parameters of EACH class. The default at K-State is to DO YOUR OWN WORK. Unless you have been told by the professor for each individual assignment that you may collaborate and/or use aid, then the assignment should be assumed to be completely independent work.
Helpful resources
- Do you know what plagiarism is? Plagiarism can occur whether you intend to do it or not. Review a short PowerPoint to see examples of various types of plagiarism that you should be aware of. Contact someone if you need assistance in learning how to correctly paraphrase or cite your sources.
- Accredited Schools Online's Preventing Plagiarism in College (external link) is a free online resource.
- Do you know how to cite in MLA or APA style? Download a PDF tutorial on APA and MLA citations. Without appropriate in-text and end citations, plagiarism can occur. Take time to understand how you give the appropriate credit to the original developer.
A vital component of the Honor and Integrity System at Kansas State University is the inclusion of the Honor Pledge which applies to students' work on all assignments, examinations or other coursework. The Honor Pledge is implied, whether or not it isstated: "On my honor, as a student, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this academic work." This means that all academic work should be accomplished individually, unless the permission of the instructor is given in advance.
Suggestions for Tutors
- In general, if you are asked to do something that you feel is wrong or unethical, it probably is. Aiding someone in committing an academically dishonest act is just as serious as receiving the aid.
- As often as possible, read the instructor's syllabus to determine how much collaboration, if any, is permitted or expected on assignments, projects, papers, or exams. If, after doing so, you are still unsure of how to appropriately help the student, the following are some questions that you should ask the instructor of the course for which you are tutoring:
- Is it okay to help th stuent with the organization of a paper?
- Is it okay to help the student with the ideas/content of a paper?
- Is it okay to let the student know that one or more of the responses to assignment questions is incorrect? If so, is it okay to let the student know exactly whch ones are incorrect or to give them the correct answers?
- Is it okay for me to let the student know the types of questions that were on the exam when I took this particular course?
- Is it okay to assist the student with take-home exames by explaining terminology in the questions?
- Is it okay to help identify sources/references for a student's paper or project?
- Is it okay to share former or current assignments, projects, papers, or exams with students to use as study guides?
- Is it okay to systematically correct a student's grammar in a paper or other written assignment?
- Is it okay to write directly on a student's work when making suggestions during the tutoring session?
- If you suspect a student of academic dishonestly, it is your obligation to immediately contact that student's instructor or your supervisor.
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