PROV501-Yan Yue

Case Analysis about Honor Code

Introduction

Emily (2014), Lydia (2014) and Benjamin (2014) stated, "Educators worldwide face

challenges surrounding academic integrity. The development of honor codes can promote

academic integrity, but understanding how and why honor codes affect behavior is critical to

their successful implementation" (p.179). Academic integrity plays an essential part in the

American education system. That is to say, American college students are more likely to

obey the honor code since American college students attach great importance to the honor

code. In this study, I will investigate what is the reason why students might violate the honor

code individually, and also make an explanation of what the content of the honor code. In

addition, this study indicates that the system of American education should include

maintenance of academic standards, and make provision for more practical and efficient

principles to regulate the relationship between higher education and college students'

educational experience. Finally, it is apparently to create a harmonious college climate since

our goal is the academic success.

Literature Review

First of all, this research considers that students' relationship to an honor code predicts

academic integrity. According to Wikipedia, academic integrity is the moral code or ethical

policy of academia. Emily (2014) has found that a range of outcomes related to academic and

commitment to an honor code. These outcomes might lead to cheating, plagiarism, stealing

and lying. Emily (2014) confirmed that cheating might have social consequences that extend

beyond classrooms. However, Taehee Choi (2006) explored that graduate students might
experience or bear six problems that related to academic adjustment. These six problems

respectively are "language proficiency, cultural knowledge, mismatch of student needs and

the program, insufficient faculty support, stress and institutional rigidity" (Choi, 2006 p.123).

From Taehee's study, we can have concluded that college students are willing to acclimatize

themselves to academic integrity but may face some difficulties. For instance, international

students might be unable to take a complete understanding of the honor code of George

Mason University due to the poor quality of English level. Taehee Choi (2006) suggests that

honor codes may increasingly become internationally relevant. Another UK university

recently assessed the attitudes about adopting honor system elements at UK schools (Choi,

2006). Emily (2014) believed that a series of essential steps of academic integrity adjustment

improves a sense of integrity, which leads to a significant benefit to their further academic

experience.

Answers for evaluating cases

Honor Code

We can know that the student Derrick, who studied at George Mason University for

MBA program violated cheating of Mason honor code. Because of the difficulty of managing

time, Derrick was afraid to allocate his schedule to interview the managers of the business.

Under this circumstance, he decided to use his friend's interview note sheet, whose name is

called Pamela. When their professor was grading the final projects, the professor noticed

some similarities between Derrick and Pamela's recommendations for the business. Cheating

has a negative impact on education as a result of fraud rather than studying. Mason Honor

Code regulates that if a student duplicates a student's prior work or submit of another

individual's work, student violates honor code (Committee, 2017-2018).

Alternative & Support

 To avoid this cheating behavior, Derrick should finish the interview notes

independently. Unreasonable usage of time is not an excuse for copying other student's notes.

Regardless of the types of assignments you achieved, students should use their time

efficiently and correctly. It's significant that students develop effective strategies for

managing your time to balance the conflicting demands of time for study and job hunting.

Time management skills are valuable in the educational experience, but also in many other

aspects of life. As far as I am the concern, some of these skills including setting clear goals,

breaking the goal down into discrete steps, and keeping a to-do List. As Le (2014) stated,

"With the advancement of universities' academic environment, global universities have

started to provide constructive strategies and sources for student's loyalty and success in the

academic papers writing and submitting" (p.183). Like INTO George Mason University, it

has opened a professional course which is providing an excellent change for understanding

every detail of the honor code. Besides, quite a lot of helpful services can be found in Mason,

including the writing center, learning resource center, and writing tutor.

Honor Committee

The Honor Committee, a group of elected or appointed members of the student body,

is responsible for upholding the honor code. Members follow constitutionally mandated

procedures to investigate and adjudicate alleged honor code violations. In this case, Derrick

and Pamela shall be ordered to withdraw or graded zero in this project assignment. The

intention of academic integrity is clear, "To promote a stronger sense of mutual

responsibility, respect, trust, and fairness among all members of the George Mason

University Community and with the desire for greater academic and personal achievement,

we, the student members of the university community, have set for this Honor Code: Student

Members of the George Mason University community pledge not to cheat, plagiarize, steal,

or lie in matters related to academic work" (Committee, 2017-2018, p.2).

Conclusion

Derrick violated honor code in the project due to cheating from Pamela’s interview

note sheet. This behavior leads to some similarities in their project. As a result, Derrick and

Pamela shall be ordered to withdraw or graded zero in this project assignment. Both of them

ignored the seriousness of cheating which is included on the honor code. College students

encounter specific challenges which tend to constrain their academic performance.

Personally, I became aware of knowing the importance of the honor code and forming

a sense of integrity after this study. Although the honor code may seem like strict, it is an

essential and underlying step for college students to be succeed. I decide to check every

significant assignment by using the resource of university, I should ask professor’s advice,

writing center and learning resource center for help. For my academic success in the future, I

should follow these rules. Hopefully, I shall follow my initial heart, and achieve my academic

goal in Mason.
Bibliography

Choi, T. (2006). Asian International Students’Academic Adjustment in a U.S. Graduate

School and Stanton-Salazar’s Framework. Pacific Asian Education, 51-68.
Committee, H. (2017-2018). George Mason University Academic Integrity Full Honor Code.
Retrieved from http://oai.gmu.edu/mason-honor-code/full-honor-code-document/
Harding, T. S., Finelli, C. J., & Carpenter, D. D. (2017). Academic Dishonesty among
Engineering Undergraduates in the United States. Academic Misconduct in Higher
Education, 160-181.
Li, M. (2017). Academic Integrity: Exploring Issues of Plagiarism Facing Chinese Students
in New Zealand Universities. Academic Misconduct in Higher Education, 306-326.