For Instructors
- Show students how plagiarism reports work, and introduce originality checkers.
- Resource: 6 Principles to Guide Use of Plagiarism Detection Software and Tools created by staff at UMN’s Center for Writing and Academic Technology Support Services.
- Show students proctoring software (if you have it) – teacher view.
- Let students know your process for reporting infractions and grading practices for addressing instances of academic dishonesty as well as your thinking about the ethics, integrity, and learning-based reasons for taking these approaches.
- Resource: Syllabus & Course Site Statement Examples includes examples from UMN faculty from multiple disciplines, and for graduate as well as undergraduate courses.
For Students
- While taking a shortcut may seem like a good idea at the time, the consequences can have a long-lasting impact on your future. Cheating can interrupt your academic progress, end up on your transcript, and follow you if you transfer to another institution. It’s just not worth the risk.
- Faculty can often tell when the work is not your work. It is very clear when students take a quiz too quickly or when the voice in their written work shifts.
- Software can often tell, too. Additional software is used in a number of classes to ensure students are caught when cheating (Proctorio, Turnitin).
- There is a cost even when you don’t get caught. Most serial cheaters eventually get caught, but everyone who cheats will pay the larger price of not being good at the work of the field. Content is cumulative and builds on foundational content. If you cheat, you may not learn the foundational material that you need and that can impact your ability to comprehend more advanced content later on.” (rewrite for tone and simplicity.