While collaboration on academic assignments is sometimes encouraged, it is not always. Most often, your professors will want to grade work that is yours and yours alone.
Ohio State’s definition of Unauthorized Collaboration/Collusion is as follows:
“Unauthorized Collaboration/Collusion and the sharing of electronic files: This includes any instance where two or more students work together and/or share information (electronic files) in a manner that is unauthorized, deceitful, fraudulent, or in violation of course policy for completion of an assignment.”
But what exactly does this mean? In short, students cannot work with other students on assignments/quizzes/exams without the stated permission of the instructor; this may be for one assignment or for all of them. If you are ever unsure of the parameters of an assignment, don’t hesitate to ask your instructor for clarification. Many situations of academic misconduct could be avoided if students take the time to ask for clarification. In many instances, instructors are willing to read a draft of your assignment/paper before the due date. Remember, instructors are here to help you understand the information and to teach you the proper way to produce good scholarship.
Many instances of academic misconduct occur when students collaborate on assignments. These errors in judgement not only undermine the integrity of the degree but also put student against student. In many cases, besides the sanctions that may be imposed by finding the student in violation of the Code of Student Conduct, friendships are lost due to the outcome of the hearing.
When students willingly or mistakenly collaborate on assignments that are prohibited it creates an unfair advantage for oneself and is unfair to all your peers that have worked hard on their own work. Good scholarship rests with institutions of higher education; violating that relationship hinders progress for the university and society in general.
Academic Integrity. (2015). Retrieved from http://oaa.osu.edu/coamfaqs.html
