Academic integrity should be discussed in every course a student takes. Because specific concerns vary by discipline and sometimes even by course, students need to know an instructor’s expectations of them. By promoting academic honesty up front, we can hopefully mitigate academic integrity infractions. This chart can help you begin the conversation.
| Acceptable Behavior | Unacceptable Behavior |
|---|---|
Asking your professor for help. | Using Chegg, CourseHero, or other websites to get answers to questions you are supposed to answer on your own. |
Asking your TA for help. | Getting work from friends who have taken the class before. |
Asking a friend to explain a concept. | Copying a friend’s work. |
Scheduling a session with a campus-approved tutor (departmental tutor, TASS, CEW). | Paying a service to write a paper or complete an assignment for you. |
Watching instructional videos online, as long as these are not prohibited by your instructor (e.g., Khan Academy). | Googling answers online. |
Accessing whatever resources your instructor recommends. | Posting your instructor’s materials to any space (website, social media, text message, etc.). |
Using technology if allowed and as instructed by your faculty member. | Using technology such as ChatGPT, paraphrasing tools, and citation generators to produce work which is expected to be completed solely by you. |
It is always a good idea to overtly discuss your academic integrity expectations with your students. If you are unsure of how to get the conversation started, use the content below for guidance. You can also contact the Office of Academic Integrity at academicintegrity@buffalo.edu or 716-645-2111 for more assistance.
Academic Integrity at UB and This Course
There are many ways to discuss academic integrity with students. The following are intended to provide possible structures for lessons on this important topic. Contact the Office of Academic Integrity directly if you need more guidance.
Presentations are typically 30-40 minutes. Priority will be given to 198/199 seminars, but other invitations at the undergraduate and graduate levels are welcome.
