Academic Integrity

Upholding academic integrity is essential at the University of Toronto. You may want to reference the TATP’s Teaching and U of T: Policies and Resources under, “Upholding Academic Integrity”.

What is an academic offence at the University of Toronto? There are 9 types of behaviours which constitute academic offences: 1) Altering, forging or falsifying documents other than academic records, 2) Possession or use of unauthorized aids, 3) Impersonation, 4) Plagiarism, 5) Submission of work for which credit has previously been obtained, 6) Submission of work containing purported statement(s) of fact or reference(s) to concocted sources, 7) Altering, forging or falsifying an academic record, 8) Any other misconduct to obtain academic credit or advantage. 9) Assisting another student in committing an offence. At the University of Toronto, the Faculty of Arts & Science’s information sheet What is academic misconduct? explains the basics you will need to start your course.

What policies exist on academic integrity? Matters of academic integrity are governed by the University of Toronto’s Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters. As a Course Instructor, failure to report suspected cases of academic misconduct is a breech of academic integrity. The University of Toronto’s Academic Integrity site is an ideal place to familiarize yourself with what academic misconduct means at this institution.

How can I support my students’ understanding of academic integrity in order to help prevent academic violations? Here are three ways to prevent students from committing academic integrity offences.

1. Develop a statement on academic integrity for your course. This will clarify for you, your TAs, and your students what academic misconduct is and why it is important. Try using the TATP guide Creating an Academic Integrity Statement and include one in your syllabus.
2. Build a culture of academic integrity in your classroom. Start by familiarizing your students with the various types of academic misconduct at the University. You can also require them to sign an academic integrity statement such as the Academic Integrity Checklist created by the TATP.
3. Direct students to resources. Because the University of Toronto is an international and multicultural institution, not everyone will know what academic misconduct means in this context, so outline these policies for your students.

What are my responsibilities if academic violations are discovered? If you suspect academic misconduct, you must pursue it. In fact, if you do not report a suspected offence, under the Code you are committing an academic offence. The Faculty of Arts and Science’s Office of Student Academic Integrity has a tip sheet for Reporting Academic Integrity in 3 Easy Steps!