2.4 Academic Integrity Values: Responsibility and Courage
Responsibility: you show responsible behaviour when you lead by example when you resist negative peer pressure, and when you discourage others from violating academic integrity principles. Being responsible means being accountable to yourself and others and doing your work to the best of your abilities.
Scenario
You have difficulties with your studies, especially in one of your courses. You have been stuck on your essay for a whole week already. You are afraid that you may fail the course if you can’t turn this situation around. What should you do?
Courage: to uphold academic integrity standards requires courage to resist temptations for the “easy way out” and to speak up against wrongdoing.
Scenario
You are entering the room to write your final exam. You see a sign that reads “No electronic devices permitted. Please leave them at the front. You may pick them up after you have finished the exam”. As you enter, you see your classmates put their phones in their pockets. What might you do?
Hopefully, these scenarios showed you that you always have the opportunity to do the right thing and that there is help available if you need it. It is up to you to make the appropriate choices.
