Student Blog: My Take On Academic Integrity

Hello!

Academic integrity is a concept that promotes honesty as a student through various actions, such as being respectful to staff, and handing in authentic work in a timely manner. One particular subject that I want to talk about, which is associated with academic integrity, is plagiarism.

I think by now, everyone knows what plagiarism is, the reasons not to do it, and the consequences of it. Still, many people do it, and with the rise of AI, I've seen many of my classmates openly talk about which bots are the best for helping with assignments. I'm interested in exploring the reasons that people plagiarize, and what can be done to improve writing skills so that these problems can be avoided.

A part of me thinks that this all boils down to writing ability. A lot of people dislike writing or are not confident in their writing skills, which can lead to procrastination, and plagiarism, both purposeful or accidental. That being said, it's much better to hand in your own work than to use someone else's, even if yours isn't of a great quality. Therefore, most of my article will be focused on how you can improve your writing skills, and in turn boost your academic integrity.

In high school, there are very specific rules for writing a good essay. I was usually told to write 5 paragraphs, with the middle paragraphs having 8 sentences, including a topic sentence, a quote, an interpretation of that quote, and a conclusion. It can feel more like putting together a puzzle than actually writing an essay. I think that in college, essay writing becomes easier, because you are given more freedom regarding what to write about. The rules vary from class to class of course, but don't be afraid to try something new in your writing, even if not every idea lands well. An example: I've found that many of my classmates are relieved when they are allowed to use personal pronouns in their writing. If there are similar techniques that you think will help boost your writing, don't be afraid to ask your professor if it's allowed!

A lot of people are also worried about wording things improperly. If you feel this way, I'd say take a look at how you tackle other things that require writing. I see a lot of people write down notes exactly as they are presented, or study vocabulary terms exactly as they are defined in textbooks. Try to come up with your own definition when studying vocab words. When completing study guides, try to elaborate on your answer as much as you can, even if the answer is just one word. When it comes to personal use items, such as notebooks, flash cards, and study guides, you are less likely to get in trouble for writing things down verbatim, but it's still a great idea to practice coming up with your own definition of things. This is something you can start doing regardless of what grade you're in!

One more important thing: sometimes plagiarism is just done by accident, through not knowing how to properly cite your research. If you're not sure that you are citing something correctly, I'd strongly encourage you to reach out to your professor, or someone at your school's library. You will most likely find someone who is happy to help you, either in person or online.

Writing plays a big part in academic integrity, and the more confident you are, the better you'll get. I hope you all have a great semester, filled with plenty of opportunities for growth!

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