Types of Academic Integrity Breaches

An Academic Integrity Breach is an action that does not demonstrate Academic Integrity and includes any behaviour that does not allow RRC Polytech to fairly evaluate a student’s knowledge, skills, and abilities in relation to admissions, assigned course work or assessment. An Academic Integrity Breach can occur during activities related to the admissions process, receiving academic credentials, or representing academic accomplishments. (A17 – Academic Integrity, 2022)

The A17 Academic Integrity Policy provides guidance to the RRC Polytech community in upholding Academic Integrity, including defining the types of actions that do not demonstrate academic integrity. Understanding which actions are a Breach of Academic Integrity can help you make better choices and learn with integrity.

Reference
A17 – Academic integrity. (2022). Policies and Corporate Legal. https://www.rrc.ca/legal/policies/academic-integrity/

Plagiarism

Plagiarism involves representing Intellectual Output created by or belonging to someone else as if it were one’s own. Plagiarism includes but is not limited to:

Using another’s Intellectual Output without attribution or presented as one’s work.
Paraphrasing other’s Intellectual Output without attribution.
Using paraphrasing, translation or other artificial intelligence software to modify text and present the modified text as new work.

Self-Plagiarism

Self-plagiarism (also known as duplicate or dovetailing submission) involves submitting the same or similar work for credit in more than one course. A student who wishes to submit work prepared for another course must first receive an Instructor's written permission.

How to Avoid Plagiarism and Self-Plagiarism

Be truthful about the source of your ideas
Give credit to the owner or creator of words, photos, art, music, etc.. (This includes your work, which can only be reused if approved by your instructor.)
Learn the citation methods required in your area of study
Keep track of your sources as you gather information
Create and submit original work for every assignment

Unauthorized Collaboration

Unauthorized Collaboration involves providing or receiving assistance in completing academic work and other academic activities without the instructor's permission.

Examples of collaboration that provide an unfair advantage to students include and are not limited to:

Collaborating with one or more individuals to complete an assignment, test, exam, or other academic evaluation in a manner that is not authorized and where the submission of work does not credit all contributors.
Using tools not authorized in the course or context, such as generative artificial intelligence technology.
Reproducing and submitting another student’s work, with or without their knowledge.
Sharing class recordings, course details, course outlines, assignments, tests, student-created (self- or other) assignments, assessments, learning materials and/or any course-related resources with individuals, organizations or services without the permission of the instructor.

How to avoid unauthorized collaboration

Follow the guidelines in your course and assignments for individual and group work and the use of technological aids or tools such as generative artificial intelligence (GenAI)
Do not seek out others to do your work for you.
Do not share your individual assessments with other students.

Impersonation

Impersonation involves falsely presenting oneself in a physical or virtual classroom or an in-person or online exam.

Representing yourself truthfully

Students are responsible for representing themselves fairly and truthfully when taking classes and exams. Be prepared to present appropriate identification to help protect the academic integrity of your course and program.

Contract Cheating

Contract Cheating occurs when students have original academic work created by a third party and submit the academic work as if it were their own. An exchange (money, file sharing, etc.) may occur but is not required to fit this definition. (Lancaster, 2006)

How to avoid contract cheating

Find reputable support from those who will help the learning process but will not complete the work on your behalf.

Fabrication and Falsification

Fabrication and Falsification involves misrepresenting, exaggerating, withholding information, or providing false information for academic, personal, or financial benefit. This includes fabrication and falsification during the application process and the course of study. It may further involve forging or falsifying official College documents such as grade reports, transcripts or other records.

Representing your accomplishments truthfully

Demonstrate honesty when completing entrance requirements
Represent your accomplishments accurately and truthfully

Accommodation Under False Pretenses

Accommodation Under False Pretenses is misrepresentation in order to receive any academic accommodation on disability-related or compassionate grounds. This may include obtaining medical or other certificates under false or misleading pretenses, altering medical or other certificates, or presenting them in a manner meant to deceive to receive accommodation.

How to Avoid Accommodation Under False Pretenses.

Accept your challenges and limitations honestly.
Do not abuse the supports that do not apply to you.