The focus of this module has been on the shared values that we hold as a university community, and how they related to and allow us to uphold academic integrity. We’ve chosen to focus on how most of us will act during our time at university.

However, if a student were to stray from these shared values and were to commit a misconduct, they could face a variety of consequences.

Depending on what a student has done, they may be required to withdraw from a course, engage in a remedial activity (such as a tutorial on academic integrity), repeat an assignment or accept a grade of zero, face suspension from university clubs or teams, or face suspension or expulsion from the Faculty or School.

The consequences can become quite severe. However, there are many supports at the university to help you navigate academic integrity, as well as your assignments.

At some point during your time at Brandon University, someone will likely ask you for help, whether with note taking or with an assignment. You don’t have to be afraid to help your friend or classmate out, but you should be aware of what you can and cannot help with.

If your friend or classmate misses a class due to illness or couldn’t take notes fast enough and asks to see your notes to copy what they missed, that’s ok. Neither of you are engaging in misconduct by sharing notes that will be used to study for a test or exam later. It would be even better if you and your friend sat down and talked about what you learned that day, to answer any questions they might have, as well as give you the chance to solidifying your learning by testing how much you remember from class. Reviewing and sharing notes and insights after class is a great practice and can be an even more powerful study tool when done with others.

However, if your friend asks to see how you wrote your essay or a lab report, you might want to say no. This is because it can be very tempting to copy another’s work, even if not on purpose. Sometimes when we read something we remember the structure or some of the phrasing and copy it down without realising. In this instance, it’s better to ask your friend what they need help with: Do they need to learn how to structure and introductory paragraph? Are they struggling with citation? Do they have questions about paraphrasing? Depending on what they are finding difficult, you can suggest various solutions.

The best course of action is to suggest they chat with your instructor or Teaching Assistant (TA). They might also benefit from speaking to a Writing Skills Specialist or a Librarian. If you feel confident, you could also try to teach them the skill they are finding challenging – however it’s important that you do not write any of the report or assignment for them or give them exact wording to use. Doing so would count as cheating. However, explaining how the general structure of an essay is, and encourage your friend to create an outline or explain what they want to do, is an acceptable way to offer feedback on ways they could improve their ideas.

The first place to start is to have a chat with your instructor. Some instructors, for example, are ok with you using ChatGPT for parts of your assignment, while others are not. Some will allow you to work with others on an assignment where others will expect you to do the work entirely on your own. It’s up to you to ask and to confirm what their requirements are, and what for them will constitute a departure away from academic integrity in their classroom.

You are also welcome to speak to a librarian if you are finding it hard to find trustworthy sources, or a Writing Skills Specialist if you are finding citing and referencing challenging. They can also help you sharpen your writing skills.

If you find you are falling behind in classes and assignments, and you’re wondering how you’ll get everything done on time without engaging in some kind of misconduct, speak to BU’s Learning Skills Specialist, who can help you create an assignment completion plan, improve your study skills, and manage your time better.

University – and academic integrity – are not meant to be solitary pursuits. There are wonderful staff and faculty here, ready to help you: just ask!