Important:Ignorance of the rules governing dishonesty is not a legitimate defence against an accusation of student academic dishonesty

The Edwards School of Business and the University of Saskatchewan have various sets of general guidelines and rules that students are expected to know and to follow.

The specific legal regulations concerning student academic work are described in theRules Governing Student Academic Dishonesty. Ignorance of these rules is not a legitimate defence against an accusation of student academic dishonesty, and hence every student is strongly advised to read these rules and to obey them. The rules regarding plagiarism (submitting academic work that is not your own) are particularly important to read and understand because of the possible severity of the punishment, which at the extreme could involve expulsion from the University . Thecore definition of Academic Dishonesty within these rules is copied below for your information.

The University's expectations regarding general student and faculty conduct are described in the University's Guidelines for Academic Conduct.

Definition of Academic Dishonesty

The following constitute academic dishonesty which may be the subject-matter of an allegation under Rule 2:

• Providing false or misleading information or documentation to gain admission to the University or any University program;
• Theft of lecture notes, research work, computer files, or academic materials prepared by another student or an instructor;
• Using work done in one course in fulfilment of the requirements of another courseunless approval is obtained from the instructor involved;
• Passing off the work of someone else as one's own;
• The supply of materials prepared by the student to another student for use by that student as the work or materials of that student;
• Alteration or falsification of records, computer files, or any document relating to a student's academic performance;
• Failure to observe any stated rule with regard to the procedure used in an examination or any other form of exercise undertaken for academic credit which could result in the student gaining relatively greater credit;
• Altering answers on a returned examination;
• When prohibited, removing an examination from the examination room;
• Seeking to acquire or acquiring prior knowledge of the contents of any examination question or paper with the intention of gaining an unfair advantage;
• Using notes or other sources of information or devices in an examination not permitted by the course instructor;
• Consulting or seeking the assistance of others when writing a "take home" examination unless permitted by the course instructor;
• Providing false or misleading information with the intent to avoid or delay writing an examination or fulfilling any other academic requirement;
• Failing to observe the terms of any undertaking of non-disclosure given in connection with an examination;
• Misrepresenting or conspiring with another person to misrepresent the identity of a student writing an examination or engaging in any other form of assessment;
• Knowingly doing anything designed to interfere with the opportunities of another person to have his or her contribution fully recognized or to participate in the academic program;
• Preventing others from fair and equal access to University facilities;
• Using or attempting to use personal relationships, bribes, threats or other illegal conduct to gain unearned grades or academic advantages;
• Knowingly assisting another person engaged in actions that amount to academic dishonesty;
• Plagiarism: the presentation of the work or idea of another in such a way as to give others the impression that it is the work or idea of the presenter.

There is an onus on every student to become informed as to what does or does not constitute plagiarism. Ignorance of applicable standards of ethical writing is not an acceptable excuse. The critical consideration is the impression created in the mind of the others, not the subjective intent of the student. This determination involves an objective evaluation of the manuscript. No intent to deceive is required to establish plagiarism.

Adequate attribution is required. What is essential is that another person have no doubt which words or research results are the student's and which are drawn from other sources. Full explicit acknowledgement of the source of the material is required.

Examples of plagiarism are:

• The use of material received or purchased from another person or prepared  by any person other than the individual claiming to be the author. [It is not plagiarism to use work developed in the context of a group exercise (and described as such in the text) if the mode and extent of the use does not deviate from that which is specifically authorized].
•  The verbatim use of oral or written material without adequate attribution.
•  The paraphrasing of oral or written material of other persons without adequate attribution.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the above policies, Please email or contact the Assistant Dean, Edwards School of Business.

Edwards School of Business,
University of Saskatchewan

Last updated: 9/12/1999.