Academic Misconduct Guidelines for Instructors*

*These guidelines were developed from the College of the Environment Academic Misconduct Policy and other UW guidelines.

What is Academic Misconduct?

Academic Misconduct is defined as presenting another’s work as one’s own including (but not limited to):

  • Plagiarism: using another’s words or ideas without citation
  • Cheating on Exams: copying answer, using notes or materials not allowed by the instructor, using an advance copy of the exam, using a surrogate test taker
  • Theft: stealing another’s work and using it or copying it as your own
  • Collaboration: collaborating on assignments for which collaboration is not explicitly allowed

What to do if you suspect Academic Misconduct

Discussion of suspected Academic Misconduct

  • You may discuss with colleagues in general terms, without disclosing any personally identifiable information about the student suspected of Academic Misconduct (including names of suspected students)
  • You may discuss or report details and specifics of the alleged Academic Misconduct to the Chair, Associate Chairs, or Student Services
  • You may report the allegation directly to the Dean’s Office in the College of the Environment

Minimizing Academic Misconduct in ESS Courses

  • Discuss misconduct with students in the first class of the quarter.
    • Give definitions of Academic Misconduct, including plagiarism
    • Clarify expectations for group work, including lab assignments
    • Give tangible, course-specific, examples of both misconduct and appropriate conduct
  • Include a misconduct statement in each course syllabus
    • Sample Academic Conduct Statement for course syllabi:

At the University level, passing anyone else’s scholarly work (which can include written material, exam answers, graphics or other images, and even ideas) as your own, without proper attribution, is considered academic misconduct.

Plagiarism, cheating, and other misconduct are serious violations of the University of Washington Student Conduct Code (WAC 478‐120). We expect that you will know and follow the UW’s policies on cheating and plagiarism. Any suspected cases of academic misconduct will be handled according to UW regulations. For more information, see the College of the Environment Academic Misconduct Policy and the UW Community Standards and Student Conduct website.

  • Do not accept assignments via departmental mailbox as these are unmonitored, instead use departmental lockboxes for assignment submission (contact to arrange use)
  • Arrange for assignments saved to shared departmental computers to be cleared quarterly if the course requires or accepts assignment submission electronically
  • Modify exams each quarter/year
  • Randomly search for plagiarism in assignments

Update History

February 10, 2024.

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