Medill School of Journalism

Policy on Academic Integrity

(Updated June 17, 2002)

A. Importance of Academic Integrity

Students of the Medill School of Journalism have entered a community of scholarship and journalism where academic integrity is of the highest importance. All students enrolled in the Medill School of Journalism and in the classes offered by the School are expected to adhere to the School's standards for academic integrity. Students who violate the School's standards will be sanctioned as appropriate.

B. Definition of Academic Dishonesty

The profession of journalism values the gathering of accurate information from a variety of sources and the presenting of such information in a way that clearly indicates its sources. The most profound transgressions of journalistic standards are fabricating information or sources, or representing the words or pictures of others as one's own. The profession traditionally responds to such transgressions with dispatch and severity.

The following conduct violates the School's code of academic integrity:

1. FABRICATION. Fabrication consists of the intentional falsification or invention of information, data, quotations, or sources in an academic exercise or in a journalistic presentation. Fabrication also includes, but is not limited to, mis-attributing information or presenting information in an assignment that was not gathered in accordance with the course syllabus or other course outline.

2. PLAGIARISM. Plagiarism consists of intentionally or knowingly representing the words or ideas of another person as one's own. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the knowing or intentional failure to attribute language or ideas to their original source, in the manner required by the academic discipline (such as by quotation marks, attribution in the text, and footnote citations in an academic exercise) or in the manner required by journalism practice (such as by quotation marks and attribution in a journalistic presentation).

Note: Instructors may require students to submit their work electronically in addition to or in place of written form. All student work may be analyzed electronically for violations of the University's academic integrity code and also may be included in a database for the purpose of testing for plagiarized content.

3. CHEATING. Cheating consists of: (a) using unauthorized notes, study aids, or other materials or information during an examination or for the preparation of other graded work; (b) altering and resubmitting work previously submitted and graded; or (c) submitting identical or substantially identical work for credit in more than one course without prior permission from the instructor(s).

4. UNFAIR ADVANTAGE. A student obtains an unfair advantage by: (a) stealing, reproducing, circulating or otherwise gaining access to examination materials prior to the time authorized by the instructor; (b) stealing, destroying, defacing, or concealing library materials with the purpose of depriving others of the use of the materials; (c) collaborating with others on an academic or journalistic assignment in a manner not permitted by the instructor; (d) intentionally obstructing or interfering with another student's efforts to complete an academic or journalistic exercise; (e) using a substitute to take an examination in one's place; or (f) undertaking any other activity intended to create an unfair advantage over other students in meeting course assignments and requirements.

5. AIDING AND ABETTING. Aiding and abetting academic dishonesty consists of: (a) knowingly providing material or information to another person who will use it in violation or circumvention of these academic integrity standards; (b) testifying falsely at any proceeding regarding academic integrity; or (c) knowingly failing to report any incident of academic dishonesty of which the student has actual knowledge.

6. FALSIFICATION OF RECORDS. Falsification of records consists of altering, fabricating, falsifying, or forging all or any part of a School or University record for the purpose of gaining an academic advantage, obtaining an exemption from academic requirements, or misrepresenting one's academic record.

C. Sanctions for Academic Dishonesty

The Medill School of Journalism will respond to all acts of academic dishonesty with a sanction that is appropriate to the circumstances. Medill will impose sanctions in all cases involving students who are candidates for Medill's undergraduate and graduate degrees, regardless of the school at Northwestern University in which the academic dishonesty occurred. The professor of record determines the grade in any course in which the academic dishonesty occurred.

The basic sanctions for Fabrication, Plagiarism, Cheating, Unfair Advantage, Aiding and Abetting, and Falsification of Records (as these types of behavior are defined above) are as follows: revocation of an awarded degree, exclusion from the University, suspension, probation (with or without conditions attached), or a letter of reprimand. A student found to have committed academic dishonesty also may receive a failing grade in that course. For students who receive a reprimand or more severe sanction for academic dishonesty, a second incidence of academic dishonesty of any kind generally is grounds for exclusion from the University. Any Medill student found guilty of academic dishonesty shall be prohibited from graduating with honors.

D. Procedures in Academic Dishonesty Cases

The following procedures should be followed whenever a Medill teacher believes that a case of academic dishonesty may have occurred:

1. Any situation involving a possible case of academic dishonesty in classes of the School shall be referred by the course instructor to the appropriate administrative officer. A case must be referred within one month of the date of the alleged incident or within one month of the date the faculty member becomes aware of the alleged incident, whichever is later. No action shall be taken on any case if more than one year has elapsed since the alleged incident. Also, a student may not change registration in a course in which a charge of academic dishonesty is pending or in which such a finding has been made.

2. The administrative officer shall review the facts of the alleged incident with the instructor. If the administrator determines that an act of academic dishonesty may have occurred, the administrator shall notify the student in writing of the charge(s) made, including the date of the incident, course, instructor, the nature of the alleged violation, and the sanctions that may be imposed. If timely notification is important, verbal notification may be made, to be followed by written notification. In either situation, the student shall be advised of his or her right to request a meeting with the administrator to discuss the situation, at which time the student will be expected to present material or statements on his or her behalf. The student shall be given a reasonable time to prepare for the meeting.

3. After the meeting, the administrator shall review all matters involved in the case and inform the student in writing of the decision and penalty, if any, to be imposed. The letter shall inform the student that the decision and/or penalty may be appealed to the Academic Standards Committee of Medill. This is done by filing a written notice of appeal to the committee chair within ten days of the date of the letter of notification. The appeal letter should state the grounds for the appeal and all other information the student thinks is appropriate.

4. The Academic Standards Committee will review the appeal as soon as practical after it has been filed. The student will be invited to appear at the meeting to review the appeal, and the committee may, at its discretion, invite the administrator and/or the instructor to the meeting. Students of the Medill School of Journalism should serve on the Academic Standards Committee when that committee meets to hear appeals of matters involving allegations of academic dishonesty. Three graduate students should serve on the committee when the allegations concern students enrolled in Medill graduate courses, and three undergraduates should serve on the committee when the allegations concern students enrolled in Medill undergraduate courses. The dean of the school should select the students at random on a case-by-case basis. Students who have a personal knowledge of the alleged incident or in other ways would be unable to render an impartial decision will be expected to disqualify themselves (just as faculty are expected to disqualify themselves) and the dean will then select the names of other students.

5. The decision of the Academic Standards Committee can be appealed to the Provost within seven days of the date of the letter of notification from the chair of the Academic Standards Committee. The decision of the Dean can be appealed to the Provost within seven days of the letter of notification from the Dean. Proposed penalties take effect after the appropriate appeals period has expired or after all University appeals have been exhausted. If the student's final appeal is not granted, the penalty imposed by the administrator may be applied retroactively and, if necessary, current registration may be canceled.

6. The teacher of record determines the grade the student shall receive in the course after the appropriate appeals period has expired or after all University appeals have been exhausted. The teacher has full discretion as to how a proven act of academic dishonesty may be factored into computing the final course grade. A single act of proven academic dishonesty may be cause for a failing grade in a course.

7. If a student from another school is alleged to have been academically dishonest in a Medill course, the Medill School of Journalism determines whether academic dishonesty has occurred (and the teacher of record determines the grade the student will receive in the course). If the finding of dishonesty is affirmative, the administrator will refer the case, along with documentation, to the school in which the student is registered for whatever sanction that school may consider appropriate.

E. Faculty and Administrative Responsibilities

This policy on academic integrity will be made available to all faculty at Medill. Faculty are encouraged to uphold the spirit and meaning of the policy. In addition, faculty should work to discourage academic dishonesty and protect academic integrity. Among other things, faculty should:

1. Safeguard examinations. No student should be given custody of, or other responsibility over, examinations prior to their administration.

2. Adjust classroom seating for examinations. The instructor should make every effort to place students in alternate seats during examinations. If such seating is not possible, the instructor should use other measures, such as the preparation of alternating examination formats. The instructor also should proctor all examinations.

3. Safeguard past examinations. If the instructor plans to use all or part of an examination again, the examinations should be destroyed after grading.

4. Inform students of course requirements. The instructor should distribute an outline or syllabus that clearly describes the academic requirements of the course. Such information should include (a) notice of the scope of permitted collaboration, if any; (b) notice of the conventions of citation and attribution expected for course assignments, including term papers; and (c) notice of the materials that may be used during examinations and on other assignments.

5. Check sources. The instructor should spot check books, documents and other sources quoted in course assignments to verify the sources and accuracy of the quoted material. Also, the instructor should spot check persons quoted in assignments by calling sources to verify quoted material.

6. Refer suspected cases of academic dishonesty. The instructor should immediately refer all suspected cases of academic dishonesty to the appropriate administrative officer in the Medill School of Journalism.

Each student who enters the Medill School of Journalism will be handed a copy of these policies on academic integrity and will, from time to time while enrolled, be reminded of these policies.

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