Student Blog: How to Maintain Academic Integrity

Turning in original and honest work is valuable because this shows instructors that you’re someone who is trustworthy. In relevance, the theatre industry needs people with these qualities and companies are searching for individuals who they can rely on to bring honesty into their workspace. Practicing academic integrity not only gets you through school, but it actually prepares you for your career.

So, how does a student maintain academic integrity? There are a few ways to do this. First, if you’re ever working on an assignment where you’re using sources, it's important to always remember to give credit where it is deserved. For papers or written assignments this can be done by adding a source page, an annotated bibliography, or highlighting where you’re pulling something from and notating where you found it (and if applicable, who said it). If you’re unsure how to specifically cite your sources, I recommend asking your instructor and see if they have a preference on a particular structure. It’s also important to note there are different citation formats (MLA, APA, etc.), which sometimes depends on the type of paper you’re writing, so make sure you know which one your instructor has asked you to use. If you find yourself having trouble citing sources because of formatting, I encourage you to see if your school has a tutoring or writing center and seek help from them. There are always resources!

Okay, let’s get real. Homework, especially in college, can be very stressful to complete. As students we wish this work could be easier to manage, especially on top of being in productions. The reality is that acting score or essay you need to do during tech week is actually building your work ethic and challenging you to practice time management. Now, it’s likely that your friends are doing the same assignments as you, and the temptation to “work together” is naturally there. However, I encourage you to remind yourself why you’re pursuing a degree in the first place. You’re paying for school to be challenged and to grow. Your growth comes from the work you do, not the work others do for you. So, the second thing I recommended you do to maintain your academic integrity is to remind yourself of your personal integrity. You most likely hope to be the person who companies are look for, and school is the place where you can grow into that person. As my professors wisely say, “every day is an audition,” so bring your honest self and take each assignment as an opportunity to grow.

Lastly, set your boundaries. There will be moments when you have a friend who is desperate to complete an assignment and asks you for “help.” If you’re ever in this situation, you can either politely offer your assistance to your classmate (not a copy of your work) by answering any questions they have (not your answers) or directing them to resources. Perhaps, you could share a method you used that helped you complete the assignment (a video, lecture, etc.) or kindly suggest they ask the instructor or a tutor for assistance. Never send them a copy of your work because when you give others the opportunity to “cheat," you’re “cheating” as well. Remember, it’s okay to say no to a peer, your academic integrity is too valuable to be risked.

Academic integrity is the choice to be honest and this is very important to your instructors. When you submit your own work, you’re allowing your instructors to understand your progress and give you appropriate feedback. What’s the point of turning something in that isn’t original and receiving feedback that isn’t meant for you? This applies to the industry too. Therefore, it’s important to realize that practicing academic integrity prepares you to be someone employers will consider trustworthy. Plus, maintaining academic integrity is easy because all it takes is simple communication. Ask your instructors questions, give yourself reminders, and notate credit where it is deserved.

Thanks for reading!