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Academic Honesty Policy

Statement of Policy 

General 

BYU-Idaho, Ensign College, and BYU-Pathway Worldwide students should seek to be honest and  complete their own work. Students will be evaluated based upon their work. They should avoid  academic dishonesty and misconduct in all its forms.   

Plagiarism  

Intentional and inadvertent plagiarism is representing the words, ideas, or data of another as one’s own  without referencing the original author through quotation, reference, or footnote. Plagiarism may occur  with respect to unpublished as well as published material. Examples include, but are not limited to:  

  • Direct Plagiarism: copying others’ ideas, words, or data without citing, quoting, or referencing  the author or source; 

  • Incidental (accidental) plagiarism: this happens when a student uses another person’s words,  ideas, or data, but does not cite, quote, or reference them appropriately;  

  • Paraphrased Plagiarism: this happens when a student uses his or her own words to describe  ideas, words, or data from another person or source without citing or referencing that person  or source; 

  • Plagiarism Mosaic: this happens when students borrow words, ideas, or data from another  person or source. Then the student combines those words, ideas, or data into his or her own  writing without citing or referencing the original author or source; and 

  • Insufficient Acknowledgment: partial or incomplete referencing of another person or source  when borrowing words, ideas, or data from that person or source. 

Fabrication/Falsification  

Fabrication or Falsification is creating false or fake information from an original source or  author. Examples include, but are not limited to:  

  • Citing a source that does not exist; 

  • Creating fake information, words, or data and attributing them to an official author or source; 

  • Stating that results come from an author or source when the original author or source did not  claim those results; 

  • Citing an author or source in a reference section or bibliography section when the author or  source is not referenced in the assignment; 

  • Purposefully changing the meaning or application of data, words, or information from another  source or author; and  

  • Creating fake data or results to support conclusions. 

Cheating  

Cheating is copying other people's work during projects, assignments, exams, or other  schoolwork. Examples include but are not limited to:  

  • Copying from another person’s work during an exam, quiz, assignment, or project; 

  • Allowing someone to copy work during an exam, quiz, assignment, or project; 

  • Using notes or other materials during an exam, quiz, assignment, or project without permission  from the instructor;  

  • Working with other people on an exam, quiz, assignment, or project without permission from  the instructor; 

  • Completing an exam, quiz, assignment, or project for another person without permission from  the instructor; and  

  • Allowing another person to complete an exam, quiz, assignment, or project for you without  permission from the instructor.

Uploading, Sharing, or Seeking Course Content 

Uploading or sharing course content and material without prior written consent from the department  that produced the course is a form of academic dishonesty. Students should not upload, share, or seek  uploaded course materials. (Web pages, assignments, quizzes and exams, images, videos, etc.) 

Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Generative AI (GenAI) is a broad term for a suite of tools that utilize artificial intelligence algorithms to create novel content.  GenAI (e.g., Chat GPT or other similar tools) can be a powerful tool to assist students in their schoolwork (e.g., idea generation, information gathering, etc.).  However, the use of GenAI tools must not violate the essential learning outcomes of an assignment or course.  Each course will have a GenAI policy.  Students with questions regarding the appropriate use of these tools should consult the course syllabus and instructor to identify acceptable uses of GenAI.  In cases where the use of GenAI is approved, students should clearly identify and cite such use in their assignments. 

Other Academic Misconduct  

Other academic misconduct includes lying or any other dishonest  behavior regarding schoolwork. Examples include, but are not limited to:  

  • Offering to give money or something of value in exchange for help on exams, quizzes, or  assignments; and 

  • Changing or altering official education records. 

Procedures  

Both suspected and proven violations of the Academic Honesty Policy should be reported to the BYU Pathway Student Wellness Office 

Consequences of Violating the Academic Honesty Policy 

Violations of the Academic Honesty Policy may result in consequences up to and including suspension or  dismissal. 

APPROVER 
System Exchange Team Executive Group (SETEG) 

APPROVAL DATE 
2023.06.26 

POLICY STEWARD 
Director of Curriculum 

EXECUTIVE SPONSOR 
Vice President of Curriculum

APPLICABILITY 
This policy applies to all BYU-Pathway Worldwide students.