Student Blog: Discussing Academic Integrity

Happy October everyone! I am so excited to be back with a new blog :) 

Some quick updates from me:

• I am almost halfway through the semester at the University of Michigan! If you’re new to my blogs, I am a sophomore at UMich studying Business Administration with a minor in Museum Studies
• The show I am Associate Producing is in full swing! Rude Mechanicals is a drama club at UMich, and this semester’s show is Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express! We open November 8 and run through the 10th if you’re in the area
• I have two shows lined up that I’m going to see in the coming months! Mean Girls is coming to Detroit in November, which I have never seen and am SO excited to finally experience. I’m also seeing Six in January with one of my close friends who has yet to see it live! I saw the tour when it came through Lansing over the summer and absolutely loved it, so I am so pumped to see it again when it’s in Detroit.

That’s my update! Not too much to report as of now, but the next few months will definitely pick up as exams start and Orient gets closer. It will be busy, but so exciting and rewarding :) 

Now for today’s main topic: academic integrity in college. How do I maintain it? What does it mean to me? This is a subject that has definitely increased in importance over the past few years, especially as AI and software like Chat GPT becomes more commonly used inside and outside of the classroom. While these tools can be helpful, it’s important to distinguish the difference between using them effectively and using them dishonestly.

I’m not going to lie- Chat GPT is an awesome tool that I use for a lot of my assignments. It explains topics that I’m unsure on, helps me draft outlines and big ideas for essays, and guides me through the brainstorming sessions of a project. However, this is where my use with Chat ends. The actual writing of the essay and answering of the question needs to be answered (or at least attempted) by you! Most college’s honor codes are strict about little to no AI usage in submissions, and the last thing you want to happen is getting an honor code violation that ends up on your academic records.

This goes for more than just Chat GPT, though. One of the biggest things I’ve learned since coming to college is that using a friend’s answers will not get you very far. While that may have worked in high school, and you were able to use a friend’s answers for an assignment and still quickly catch back up, in college the material moves too quickly to not work on and retain the material on your own. So my advice to you: take your own notes, attempt the homework on your own before comparing with a friend, and you will be so much more successful! (While still following that nice little honor code, might I add.)

I know that was short, but that’s really it for me! Academic integrity is a tough subject to approach, but it’s definitely worth talking about, especially as college students. I hope this was helpful, and just serves as that small voice over your shoulder to do the right thing :) 

Peace and love,

Natalie

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