Academic Integrity

Academic integrity can be broadly defined as acting honestly and ethically in all academic settings, including the classroom.  Without academic integrity, that is, when truthfulness, honesty, and ethical principles are not observed in academic conduct, individuals and institutions within the academic community risk losing their credibility, trustworthiness, and reputation.  Özyeğin University’s Code of Ethics requires all members of the University to strictly adhere to the principles of academic integrity.

Özyeğin University has a zero-tolerance policy toward all forms of academic dishonesty and misconduct. Students who submit work that violates academic integrity are subject to appropriate sanctions, including academic and/or disciplinary penalties, depending on the severity of the violation. These penalties may include invalidation of the submitted work (a grade of zero), failure in the course, cancellation of a scholarship, and suspension from the University.  More severe penalties may be imposed in cases of repeated or aggravated academic dishonesty.

Academic dishonesty and misconduct can take many forms.  Some examples include engaging in or attempting to engage in the following acts, whether knowingly or unknowingly:

• Plagiarism: Using or presenting another person's wording, ideas, arguments, or findings as your own for any academic purpose without proper attribution or citation.  For example:
  
  • Copying another person's work, paper, or computer program and submitting it as your own assignment;
  • Copying, quoting, or summarizing material from any source without adequate documentation or citation;
  • Purchasing a paper or other work and submitting it as your own;
  • Resubmitting your own work that you previously submitted and received a grade for in another course.

• Cheating: Receiving or providing unauthorized assistance during an assessment, or using or attempting to use any unauthorized assistance, material (e.g., a cheat sheet or electronic device), or other support that may facilitate the work being assessed without the instructor's permission. For example:
  
  • Completing another person's assignment for them;
  • Having another person complete your assignment for you;
  • In an assessment in which competition is a determining factor, preventing another person from accessing support to which they are otherwise entitled.
• Fabrication: Presenting fabricated or falsified information or data during any academic assessment. For example:
  
  • Fabricating data instead of collecting data for an assessment, or altering existing data;
  • Citing articles that do not exist;
  • Obtaining a fraudulent doctor’s note or medical excuse note to avoid completing an assignment.
• Unfair Advantage: Attempting to gain an unfair advantage over other students during an academic assessment. For example:
  
  • Obtaining or accessing examination materials without authorization;
  • Interfering with or obstructing another student's work during an academic assessment;
  • Falsely claiming to need an extension for an assessment with a firm deadline;
  • Adding a course to your schedule with the intention of dropping it later in order to allow an accomplice to register for the course.
• Aiding or Facilitating Academic Misconduct: 
• Knowingly helping or attempting to help another person commit academic dishonesty or engage in academic misconduct. 

For example:

• • Working together on a take-home examination.

If you are unsure whether a particular action constitutes a violation of academic integrity, you should consult a faculty member to clarify any uncertainty before proceeding.

Similarly, all students are required to comply with the University's Artificial Intelligence Policy in all of their academic work and research.