The Emory College Honor Code
on Plagiarism

The Honor Code is an official component of College policy and outlines the responsibility of all members of the academic community with respect to academic integrity.  Article V of the Code states that:

It is the responsibility of every member of the faculty and student body to cooperate in  supporting the Honor system.  In pursuance of this duty, any individual, when he or she suspects that academic misconduct has occurred, shall report this suspected breach to a member of the Honor Council, a faculty advisor to the Honor Council, or the Dean of the College.

Faculty and students must meet this responsibility.  A faculty both knowledgeable and supportive of the HonorCode is necessary to maintain the academic integrity of our institution.

Preventing Honor Code Violation

Plagiarism:

The Council holds that ignorance of proper documentation procedures is not a legitimate excuse for committing plagiarism. The Council can and has found students guilty of plagiarism even if similar citations were permissible in other classes the students took.  However, the differing degrees of strictness that faculty members require in documentation makes more difficult the Council’s task of deciding whether or not plagiarism has occurred.

At the outset, a faculty member should discuss the subject of plagiarism explicitly in his or her syllabus and/or assignment.  Before assigning papers, please review with your students the definition of plagiarism and give explicit instructions and examples for which type of documentation you prefer or expect.  Explicitly state your expectations for citation and documentation.  Your success in instructing your students about plagiarism and proper documentation will contribute to academic integrity.  Direct statements on assignments such as, “For this paper I require documentation as outlined in the Watkins and Dillingham, Practical English Handbook” will help students understand your expectations.  Web plagiarism has increased in recent years and is still on the rise.  Please give your students clear and adequate instructions about your expectations for documentation of web sources.  Please state on your syllabus and on each assigment whether you require outside or secondary sources, and if so, how you expect students to document those sources.

For the sake of consistency, the Honor Council requests that all course papers, exams, and other assignments carry specific explanations of what form of ocumentation the professor deems appropriate.  Also, keep in mind that plagiarism is not exclusive to papers but may also apply to essays on tests and homework.  Please clearly state in writing your expectations for use of outside sources on each assignment.

Collaboration on Assignments and Exams:

1.   A separate handout or instructions for the exam should also indicate any other expectations the professor has concerning integrity on tests or other academic assignments.  For instance, professors sometimes re-use questions on tests.  If so, pre-exam information should indicate that a student’s work taken verbatim or paraphrased from a previous test is plagiarism and will be turned over to the Honor Council.  Professors sometimes authorize a certain degree of collaboration.  If collaboration of any kind is permissible in your exam, please state your expectations in writing before the exam begins.

• The Council strongly encourages professors to collect blue books as the students enter the classroom and then to redistribute them randomly with the test, thus prohibiting the practice of entering the testing situation with notes written in the blue book.

3.  When giving take-home examinations, specify clearly in writing the rules under which the examination is to be taken.  Frequently, misunderstandings arise about whether the use of books or notes, or consultation with another student, is permissible.  Please state specifically whether you allow collaboration.  Define in writing what kind of collaboration is acceptable, if any.

4.   Emphasize in writing to your students that work done for one course and submitted to a second course is considered a violation of the Code, unless this work has prior approval of both professors.

• The more visibility that you give the HonorCode, the less likely you are to have violations.  Mentioning the HonorCode as you pass out exams and requiring students to sign or write out a pledge reaffirming the commitment they made to the Code as entering first-year students can be very effective.  One suggested reminder placed at the top of an exam is:  “The HonorCode is in effect during this exam.”  In addition, some faculty ask students to sign a statement on each exam that they agree to follow the HonorCode during the administration of that exam.  For example:  “By signing below, I agree to follow the provisions of academic integrity set forth in the EmoryCollegeHonorCode.”

Suggested Procedures for Reporting a Case:

If you believe that a student is violating the Code in a testing situation, you may confront the student, but only after the test is over.  Doing so while the test is in progress would violate the student’s right of confidentiality and anticipate the decision of the Council.  Publicly calling attention to the student could be detrimental and potentially defame the student.  In addition, it would be helpful if another individual, such as a T.A., could also observe a student who you believe is violating the HonorCode.  Witness testimony is important in cases in which an accused student denies violating the HonorCode.  After the test is over, you may talk with the student and ask to see or take away a scrap work, books, calculators, or whatever you suspect aided the student in violation of the Code.  You may collect these materials only after the test is over.  Alternatively, you may hand the student a note to meet you outside the test room in the hall.  At that time you may talk with the student and ask to see any suspicious material.

If you have reason to believe that a student has violated the HonorCode (through first-hand knowledge or the report of another student), contact Dean Sally Wolff King in the Office for Undergraduate Education (727-0674, 213 White Hall).  After notifying the dean, you may discuss the matter with the student, but you should avoid accusatory language.  Simply say that you will (or have already) asked the Honor Council to investigate and that the student will be contacted soon by a member of the Council.  If you prefer, you may avoid any prolonged discussion.  Please keep in mind that the student has rights to confidentiality that are guaranteed by Federal law.  Please speak about the case to the student only in the privacy of your office, or in another completely confidential location.  Do not discuss the case with other people, including other faculty, except the department chair, director of undergraduate studies, or departmental honor code liaison.  You may continue to discuss with the student other matters not relating to the Honor Council case.  The student has the right to continue in your course while the investigation continues and until all appeals have ended.

Case Procedures:

The case will be assigned to a member of the Council who will begin investigating as soon as possible.  This member and a faculty adviser will meet with you to discuss the specifics of the case.  He or she will also collect physical evidence, if any, at this time.  If a preliminary meeting with the accused student indicates a full hearing is required, you will be asked to appear before the Council to explain the events again.  If you cannot be present, you will be asked to submit promptly a written statement of the events.  One faculty advisor is assigned for the preliminary investigation, and a different faculty advisor will be asked to attend the full hearing.  The full-hearing faculty advisor will report the findings of the Council to you the next day.

Even after the information about the hearing and verdict have been delivered to you, please refrain from giving the grade to the student.  The student has the right to appeal the decision of the Council, and the student has a seven-day time period in which to appeal.

Honor Council Appeal:

If the student appeals the decision of the Honor Council, Dean Thomas D. Lancaster will convene an appeal panel in accordance with the HonorCode.  When the decision of that body is final, the dean’s office will notify you if the original verdict and sanction are changed.

Only after the appeal waiting period has passed, or if no appeal occurs, are you free to assign the grade to the student.  If the appeal does not occur, when you compute the grade, you must take into account the sanctions, or lack thereof, as specified by the Honor Council.  If the Honor Council stipulated an “F” in the course, the dean’s office will assign that grade and send you a copy of that letter.  If the Honor Council stipulated any grade change other than “F in the Course,” you should factor that stipulation into the grading of the student’s work.  For example, if the Honor Council penalty is “F on the exam in question,” then you would factor that grade into the student’s final average.

If the Appeal Panel does not stipulate a grade change, then the dean’s office will notify you that you may proceed with determining the student’s final grade.

Faculty participation is of primary importance in upholding the HonorCode.  Please consider the Honor system as you give your exam and paper assignments.  The Council actively encourages faculty participation and invites suggestions for improvement.  If you have any questions or comments about the HonorCode or Council, please feel free to call Dean Wolff King (727-0674), Dean Lancaster (727-6054) or Nathan Tobey (404-636-4729), the 2003-2004 Honor Council Chair.

Callaway North 205A | (404) 727-0886