Academic Integrity at Penn

 

Academic integrity is central to Penn's educational mission.  Creating an atmosphere that encourages students to do their own work and to value their own best efforts is critical to helping students learn and advancing knowledge.

Penn's Code of Academic Integrity

Although students are ultimately responsible for maintaining their personal integrity, faculty can take steps to make academic dishonesty less attractive and more difficult.  Faculty also often detect infractions of the Code of Academic Integrity and have to take actions against it.

To report an offense or request a consultation about student dishonesty contact Susan Herron, the Director of the Office of Student Conduct at 215.898.5651 or via email.

Advice about encouraging academic integrity

Professors can prevent cheating as well as enhance their teaching and student engagement with the class. For some general suggestions see:

1. Including a statement of academic integrity on your syllabus.

2.  Designing essay and research assignments

3.  Designing and proctoring exams

4.  Clarifying guidelines for collaboration on homework and in labs

4.  Creating an atmosphere of integrity in your class

5.  Penn students' throughts on common forms of cheating and how to discourage it.

6. Office of Student Conduct advice on preventing and detecting cheating.

7.  Penn political science professor, Ellen Kennedy, reflects on her own experiences and how she teaches to encourage integrity, "Some Thoughts on Academic Integrity."

Advice about Detecting and Reporting Cheating

Taking steps to prevent cheating does not eliminate it.  Here is some advice about detecting and reporting infractions at Penn:   

1.  What to do if you see an infraction or detect plagiarism?

2.  What happens if you report to the Office of Student Conduct?

3.   Frequently Asked Questions about Reporting to OSC and Answers from OSC's Director

4.  How Faculty Handle Gray Areas in Penn's Policy.