Introduction
Research ethics in education aim at protecting research projects from duplications and conflicts of interest. Researchers should consistently volunteer toward research participation with the aim of making a positive contribution to society.
Educational research should have a testable theory that can even engage in animal experiments. Northcentral University follows the code of ethics advocated in the American Psychological Association (American Psychological Association, 2010). According to Booth, Colomb, and Williams (2008), some participants in the research will undergo intense suffering while others will benefit. The purpose of this paper is to comprehend the academic integrity policy and ways of dealing with academic dishonesty.
Types of Academic Dishonesty
The most common type of academic dishonesty is plagiarism. Plagiarism ranges from lack of giving credit to the authors of information to patch-writing. Academic dishonesty violates the academic integrity of the University. Instructors and research experts have a duty to progressively support the students in order to develop study skills that will meet the needs of the university. Educational research requires a high level of integrity since it adds value to society and the learning institutions (Chaffee, 2012). Duplication of experimental design and methodology of the educational research may result in redundancy of data.
Redundancy of data is also a form of academic dishonesty. Students and researchers should consult widely in identifying the gaps present in previous publications. The Northcentral University aims at the continuous addition of knowledge through educational research. Additionally, poor assessment of students’ work contributes toward academic dishonesty. Instructors should guide the students from the development of the proposal to the interpretation of the results (Aaron & Roche, 2013).
The Role of Technology in Academic Dishonesty
Advancement in technology has made a huge contribution to academic research. Many research publications are present in soft copy and the public domain. Some of the upcoming researchers may violate academic integrity through the misuse of technology. Misuse of technology involves the improper use of sensitive information and tools for optimizing data (Northcentral University, 2014). Students in the academic field require guidance in the use of sophisticated academic tools toward providing a valuable research idea.
The productivity of students in research should improve upon the use of advanced technology especially in academic interactions. Students get consultants through the use of technology in the interpretation of the experimental results but fail to give credit to the research tools. Northcentral University recommends students to state all the online academic tools that aided in the production of results. It is the duty of the researcher to provide accurate results and maintain the integrity of the research (Fosmire, 2014).
Potential Solutions to Academic Dishonesty
Northcentral University provides comprehensive training on academic integrity. In addition, the researchers get knowledge on the importance of authorship and acknowledgment of all the participants in the study (Northcentral University, 2012). The university ethical review committee should discuss all the irregularities in a project before determining the verdict. All research taking place in Northcentral University should comply with the ethical principles set by the senate and national ethics.
Universities are concerned about academic dishonesty in order to avoid rebuking the reputation of the educational programs. Harsh punishments on the students violating the university academic integrity increase the morale of honest students toward achieving good grades. Students get constant reminders on the academic integrity policy and also participate in formulating the final draft. The instructors of the students conducting academic research give guidance on ways to avoid academic dishonesty. Valuable research increases the reputation of the instructors hence making the instructors cautious with their students (Fosmire, 2014).
Establishing an Academic Integrity Policy
An academic integrity policy helps in maintaining high academic standards in the university. Students become members of the University upon completing an academic integrity questionnaire and signing the integrity policy form (Northcentral University, 2012). Violation of the academic integrity policy results in the dismissal of the student. The idea of developing the integrity policy begins from brainstorming the philosophy regarding student behavior and possibilities of handling the violations. A university peer review committee assists greatly in handling different academic violations. The students violating the university integrity policy undergo series of meetings until the students admit their dishonesty (Aaron & Roche, 2013).
The magnitude of dishonesty determines the punishment the students will receive. Circulatory emails on the academic integrity policy are available to all students and university instructors. Additionally, the review committee encourages the students to send their responses and perception of cheating activities in the university. The final draft of the policy reflects the appropriate procedure of advocating academic freedom (Spain & Robles, 2011).
Conclusion
American Psychological Association forms the basis of developing ethics and academic integrity. Northcentral University has adopted most of the recommendations from the American Psychological Association in order to maintain its academic integrity (American Psychological Association, 2010). Plagiarism is a major concern in university projects since it violates academic integrity. Citing the original sources of the information is one of the ways to avoid plagiarism.
Redundant publications are prohibited at the university; as a form of reducing plagiarism. The university acknowledges the importance of technology in academics and formulates mechanisms of dealing with dishonesty due to technology. Academic integrity policy aims at supporting learners toward developing valuable projects for society.
References
Aaron, L. S., & Roche, C. M. (2013). Stemming the Tide of Academic Dishonesty in Higher Education: It Takes a Village. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 42(2), 161-196. Web.
American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Booth, W. C., Colomb, G. G. & Williams, J. M. (2008). The craft of research. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago press.
Chaffee, J. (2012). Thinking critically (10th ed.). New Jersey, NJ: Cengage Learning.
Fosmire, M. (2014). How to read a scientific paper. Web.
Northcentral University. (2014). Academic success center. Web.
Northcentral University. (2012). Northcentral Academic Integrity Policy. Web.
Spain, J. W., & Robles, M. M. (2011). Academic Integrity Policy: The Journey. Business Communication Quarterly, 74(2), 151-159. Web.