News about contract cheating and plagiarism are always a hot issue in the academic world. And for students, these shouldn’t be taken lightly as they can come with serious repercussions.
We’re in a day and age where “the end justifies the means” has become a mantra many students live by. But the circumstances of this are more disheartening than ever before, like the 2015 cheating scandal that rocked a school district in Atlanta.
The underlying factors that prompt students to violate academic integrity is complex and multi-faceted. More often than not, they come up with seemingly valid reasons for their actions. Unfortunately, being academically dishonest comes at a high price.
So how can students learn to be honest and act in ways consistent with their school’s policies? Below are some tips to help turn academic integrity into a habit.
Know the rules (and follow them)
Every educational institution has a Code of Academic Integrity. Read them carefully and ask for clarifications from your professors if there are parts you don’t understand, particularly with course or assignment expectations, and responses to violations of academic integrity (i.e. plagiarism and cheating).
Never rely on fellow students for information. As a student, it’s your responsibility to know and understand these rules and regulations. Once you have reasonable opportunity to know them, then surely you can get into trouble for breaking them even if the violation is unintentional.
Ask for help when you need it
Sometimes, we like to think we don’t need the help of others. However, some courses may be more difficult than expected.
Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness. In many cases, it’s a sign that you’re determined to do your best and learn along the way. If you feel that you’re struggling, let your professor know as early as possible so you have better chances to get extra help. After all, it’s in your professor’s best interest to see you excel, so be proactive and ask them about assignments or course expectations.
It’s also important to ask the right people as this helps you maintain academic integrity and understand your responsibilities, as well. Again, it’s alright to ask your classmates but your professors are always the best source of reliable information.
At the same time, there is plenty of best online essay writing services that provide various model essays and research papers which can only be used as a reference to produce your own original work. Such custom paper writing services help broaden your knowledge about academic writing, how to do research, how to write papers, and more.
Work diligently on your assignments
Good grades are often the result of effective time management. Therefore, you need to manage your time wisely to avoid unnecessary stress. By beginning your tasks on time, you can save yourself from the hassle of trying to finish a week-long assignment in just a matter of hours.
In starting early, you’ll have time to spare working on your assignment in parts, to proofread, and make important changes when necessary. Most importantly, this will prevent you to resort to submitting the same assignment more than once (which is an act of self-plagiarism) or having someone else work on an assignment that’s intended to be independent (unless it’s a group project).
If something about your essay is unclear, you can ask for clarifications from classmates. However, you should never share your essays with them. Letting them copy your work doesn’t give them the opportunity to learn. What’s worse, you might be accused of violating academic integrity, which can seriously hurt your grades.
Conclusion
Read carefully and thoroughly. Understand that time is everything. Don’t hesitate to seek help.
Remember that academic integrity is a reflection of one’s morals and personal values regarding work. This is important for every student because having academic integrity means that others can trust you and rely on you to act honestly, even when nobody is looking. Trust is one of the key characteristics of a true leader and they are the ones to succeed in life.