Academic Misconduct Examples
Prohibited Academic Behavior can be found in Chapter 6 of University Policy 407, Code of Student Academic Integrity, which is available at legal.charlotte.edu/policies for your reference.
Using or attempting to use materials, or giving assistance or materials without Authorization to another in any academic exercise that could result in gaining or helping another to gain academic advantage.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
- copying from another student’s paper or receiving unauthorized assistance during a quiz, test or examination
- using books, notes, cellphones, or other devices (e.g., calculators) when these are not authorized
- procuring without authorization tests or examinations before the scheduled exercise (including discussion of the substance of examinations and tests when it is expected these will not be discussed)
- copying reports, laboratory work, computer programs or files and the like from other students
- collaborating on laboratory or computer work without authorization and without indication of the nature and extent of the collaboration
- using the handheld device of another student to submit electronic answers to a quiz or test
- sending or soliciting a substitute to take an examination or to do work that one represents or plans to represent as one’s own
- allowing another student to submit one’s academic work as his/her/their own work
- allowing another to copy from one’s paper during an examination or test
- distributing test questions or substantive information about the material to be tested before the scheduled exercise
- taking an examination or test for another student, or signing a false name on an academic exercise.
- using artificial intelligence generators, such as ChatGPT, without permission to complete an exam, assignment, or academic exercise.
Providing fabricated information, including inventing or counterfeiting information, in any form in an academic exercise.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
- inventing or counterfeiting data, research results, information or procedures
- inventing data or fabricating research procedures to make it appear that the results of one process are actually the results of several processes
- counterfeiting a record of internship or practicum experiences
Altering without Authorization any data or information, regardless of communication method (e.g., e-mail or other electronic communication), in an academic exercise.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
- altering the record of data or experimental procedures or results
- false citation of the source of information (e.g., reproducing a quotation from a book review while indicating that the quotation was obtained from the book itself)
- altering the record of or reporting false information about practicum or clinical experiences
- altering grade reports or other academic records
- altering a returned examination paper and seeking regrading
Sharing, distributing, altering, acquiring, damaging, or making inaccessible academic materials without Authorization, that could result in gaining or helping another to gain an academic advantage.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
- uploading or downloading course materials without Authorization to/from websites including but not limited to Chegg, Quizlet, GitHub, or Course Hero
- stealing or destroying library or reference materials needed for common academic exercises
- hiding resource materials so others may not use them; destroying computer programs or files needed in academic work
- stealing or intentionally destroying another student’s notes or laboratory experiments
- receiving assistance in locating or using sources of information in an assignment where such assistance has been forbidden by the instructor.
- NOTE: The offense of abuse of academic materials shall be dealt with under this Code only when the abuse violates standards of integrity in academic matters, usually in a course or experience for which academic credit is awarded.
Submitting academic work or substantial portions of the same academic work (including oral reports) in more than one academic exercise without Authorization.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
- submitting the same paper for credit in two courses without instructor permission
- making minor revisions in a credited paper or report (including oral presentations) and submitting it again as if it were new work.
- Different aspects of the same work may receive separate credit; e.g., a report in History may receive credit for its content in a History course and for the quality of presentation in a Speech course.
Presenting the words or ideas of another as one’s own words or ideas, including failing to properly acknowledge a source, unless the ideas or information are common knowledge. Plagiarism includes self-plagiarism, which is the use of one’s own previous work in another context without indicating that it was used previously.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
- submitting as one’s own work of a “ghost writer” or commercial writing service; directly quoting from a source without citation
- paraphrasing or summarizing another’s work without acknowledging the source
- using facts, figures, graphs, charts or information without acknowledgement of the source
- stealing, destroying, or altering any student academic work used to complete, in part or in whole, assignments in university courses, programs, or sponsored activities.
- Plagiarism may occur orally and in writing.
- It may involve computer programs and files, research designs, distinctive figures of speech, ideas and images, or generally any “information” which belongs to another.
Academic work that is submitted in a grant application or for publication, or in the case of a thesis or dissertation, submitted to ProQuest, falls under the jurisdiction of the Research Misconduct process. Prior to initiating an Academic Misconduct case in which research integrity might be implicated, the Research Integrity Officer and the Chair of the Academic Integrity Board (AIB) should discuss the case and make a mutual determination about the appropriate process to be applied. See University Policy 309, Responding to Allegations of Misconduct in Research and Scholarship.