Department of Psychology: Policy on Plagiarism & Cheating

The Department of Psychology fully endorses and intends to enforce rigorously the Senate Policy on Plagiarism and Cheating. It is of utmost importance that students who do their work honestly be protected from those who do not. Because this policy is in place for the express purpose of protecting students, it is expected that students will cooperate in its implementation.

The offences defined by the policy can be summarized briefly as follows:

1. Plagiarism. You must make sure that the work you submit is your work and not someone else's. There are proper procedures for citing the works of others. The student is responsible for being aware of and using these procedures.
2. Multiple Submission. Only under exceptional circumstances may a work submitted to fulfill an academic requirement be used to satisfy another similar requirement. The student is responsible for clarifying this with the instructor(s) involved.
3. Falsifying Materials Subject to Academic Evaluation. This includes falsification of data, use of commercially prepared essays, citing sources from which material is not actually obtained, etc.
4. Cheating on Assignments, Tests, and Examinations. You may not copy the work of others in or out of class; you may not give your work to others for the purpose of copying; you may not bring unauthorized material into examinations or tests; and you may not impersonate or allow yourself to be impersonated by another at an examination.
5. Being an Accessory to Offences. This is self-explanatory.

Instructors are expected to make every effort to prevent cheating and plagiarism. This may include the assignment of seating for examinations, asking students to move during examinations, requests to see student identification cards, and other measures as appropriate. In instances of suspected or actual plagiarism or cheating, instructors are authorized to take steps consistent with the degree of the offence. These measures will range from a simple reprimand to the assignment of a failing grade for the course. The instructor may also, following prescribed procedures, recommend probation within a program or, in extreme cases, temporary or even permanent suspension from the University.

Appeal of such actions is available to the student at all levels. In the first instance, appeal will be made to the Chair of the Department. Where the Chair, together with the instructor and the student, is unable informally to resolve the issue, a formal hearing will be held at which both the student and the instructor will present their cases to a body constituted within the Department for such a purpose. The decision of this body will be final at the departmental level but may be appealed at higher levels under Senate policy.