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Building Better Research Assignments

Academic Integrity

Student Resources | Academic Integrity Policy 

The International Center for Academic Integrity defines academic integrity as a commitment, even in the face of adversity, to six fundamental values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage. In 2013, a task force revised the original version to include an updated sixth value: courage. (ICAI, Fundamental Values Project, 1999).

As an educator, you have an important role in modeling academic integrity principles for your students and embedding those practices in your teaching. One way of ensuring students are aware of academic integrity expectations at Seneca Polytechnic is to embed Academic Integrity and Plagiarism & Citation tutorials and/or packages in your Blackboard courses. Find more information about library support for Plagiarism & Citation on the Information for Faculty guide.

Tips for Encouraging Academic Integrity in Research Assignments


1. Monitor your student's work-in-progress by including some of the following:

  • Collect an annotated bibliography before the submission is due.
  • Require students to submit research in stages, e.g. outlines, drafts, research notes.
  • Assess work produced in class, possibly with preparation allowed beforehand.
  • Ask students to make a brief presentation to the class based on their written assignments.
  • Require students to supply copies of any references used as part of an appendix. For example the citation and first page of a journal article, or the bibliographic record from the library catalogue and/or verso and table of contents of a book.

 

2. Personalise assignments to reduce the possibility of plagiarism.

For example, ask students to:

  • Compare and contrast two people, ideas, or places that they have researched.
  • Choose one person, idea, or place after researching several (you set the amount) and defend why they have chosen that one.
  • Use another point of view, then have them create a dialogue using two points of view or voices.
  • Use "what if?" scenarios, such as "What if a person from a period in time you are studying were living today?" or "What if they were living today in a different place?"

 

3. Direct students to the relevant citation guide

Citing sources is an important part of Academic Integrity, as it engages students in scholarly conversation and prevents plagiarism.

To model best citing practices for your students, ensure that all of your course resources follow correct citation and styling guidelines (MLA or APA), and that citation expectations are clearly outlined for students in your assignments.

One way of ensuring students are aware of citation guidelines is to embed tutorials and/or packages specific to plagiarism & citation in your courses.

Visit the Guide to Citing Sources page for comprehensive support guides to MLA and APA citation styles.

 

4. Use the Assignment Planner with your class to help with time management

The Assignment Planner supports effective time management by breaking an assignment down into manageable steps, and directs students to useful guides & services available from the Library and Learning Centre. Students can opt into receiving email reminders that prompt them to follow the timeline, steps and supports available for completing their assignments.

The calculator provides a process for writing a variety of papers, such as:

  • Annotated bibliographies
  • Business reports
  • Lab reports
  • Reflection papers
  • Research essays, etc.

Use the assignment calculator in developing deadlines for student research assignments, and in considering how to break an assignment into manageable chunks.

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