Statement of Academic Integrity

CSU Chico Department of History

The students, faculty, and staff of CSU, Chico History Department are committed to a culture of honesty in which members of the community accept responsibility to uphold academic integrity in all they say, write, and create. Therefore, the History Department follows the University’s policies on academic integrity. To that end, all instances of cheating or plagiarism will automatically be reported to Student Judicial Affairs, and may result in a failing grade for the assignment; a failing grade for the course; suspension or expulsion from the program; or a discipline sanctioned by the University including suspension or expulsion.

Definitions:

(See Executive Memorandum 04-36(opens in new window))

Cheating 

Cheating is intentional fraud or deception for the purpose of improving a grade or obtaining course credit and includes all behavior intended to gain unearned academic advantage. Cheating includes either helping or attempting to help another person cheat.

Misuse of Sources 

Misuse of sources is defined as "carelessly or inadequately citing ideas and words borrowed from another source. [ . . . ] Ethical writers make every effort to acknowledge sources fully and appropriately in accordance with the contexts and genres of their writing. A student who attempts (even if clumsily) to identify and credit his or her source, but who misuses a specific citation format or incorrectly uses quotation marks or other forms of identifying material taken from other sources has not plagiarized. Instead, such a student [has] failed to cite and document sources appropriately."

Council of Writing Program Administrators.

"Defining and Avoiding Plagiarism: The WPA Statement on Best Practices.(opens in new window)"

Plagiarism

"Plagiarism occurs when a [student] deliberately uses someone else’s language, ideas, or other original (not common-knowledge) material without acknowledging its source."
Council of Writing Program Administrators. "Defining and Avoiding Plagiarism: The WPA Statement on Best Practices.” WPA Position Statements and Resolutions Jan. 2003. 12 Feb. 2004.(opens in new window)

See, also, "Avoiding Plagiarism.(opens in new window)"