Academic Integrity
Why is Academic Integrity Important?
At Western University, we support innovative scholarship, quality teaching, and respect for ourselves, our work, and the work of our colleagues. Academic integrity reflects and supports these principles and values, and is a cornerstone of scholarly work. As such, it should continuously ground and inform our learning, research, writing, publishing, and teaching.
The official policy governing academic integrity at the graduate level is the Scholastic Discipline for Graduate Students policy.
The Academic Integrity Module Milestone for Incoming Graduate Students
What is the Academic Integrity Module milestone?
The Academic Integrity Module is an early milestone in every graduate program at Western. All incoming graduate students must successfully complete this milestone in the first term of their degree to progress to the second term. This short module, developed by SGPS, is designed to provide you with the necessary knowledge and resources to abide by fundamental academic principles during your graduate education and to help reduce occurrences of scholastic offenses.
The Senate policy that outlines this requirement is available here: Senate Academic Policy, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Academic Integrity.
How Can Students Access the Module?
Eligible students can access the module in the Graduate Student Web Services Portal. Instructions regarding access and how to complete the quiz will be emailed to you in the last half of the month before your first term begins.
What topics does the module cover?
The module provides a detailed explanation of a variety of behaviours that are considered academic offences at Western (and elsewhere). The module also explains how Western specifically handles academic offences and outlines what penalties may be applied in cases where a student is found to have engaged in an academic offence. Lastly, the module also makes you aware of a number of resources on academic integrity at Western to help support your maintenance of academic integrity throughout your time at Western.
What are the requirements for completing the module?
All participants are required to interact with and complete three learning exercises within the module:
- Review and acknowledge completion of the provided graduate education on academic integrity.
- Interact with a series of case studies designed to support the content and apply your understanding of the module.
- Successfully complete a 10-question quiz designed to evaluate your knowledge of academic integrity.
You have an unlimited number of opportunities to pass the module, and no penalties or records exist due to failed attempts.
How can I tell if I've finished the module?
You can verify your completion of the Academic Integrity Module by logging in again to the Graduate Student Web Services Portal. If complete, there should be a green “complete” next to the option for the module in the Portal’s main menu. If incomplete, there will be a red “incomplete” instead.
If you believe if you have already finished the module, but are still receiving reminder emails, please verify your completion. Sometimes cases or questions are missed by accident.
What happens if I do not complete the milestone?
If you do not complete the milestone within the first term of your graduate program you will be required to withdraw from your graduate program for failure to meet progress expectations.
I already have a graduate degree from Western. Do I have to take the module again?
Yes, you are required to take the module again. It is a new and separate milestone in each graduate degree. Additionally, the module's content is revised on a regular basis so it may not be the same module you took previously.
I completed an academic integrity module on OWL Sakai. Did I do the right module?
No, you did not complete the correct module. The Centre for Teaching and Learning has made available on OWL Sakai a module on academic integrity directed at undergraduate students. Completing this module does not satisfy the requirement to complete the SGPS Academic Integrity Module.
I have more questions about the Academic Integrity Module, who can I ask?
If you have any questions about the SGPS Academic Integrity Module content, or any questions about the milestone, please contact Roger Chabot, Education Developer (Academic Integrity, Professional Ethics, and Appeals) at rchabot2@uwo.ca.
