INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS
As a UW-Madison student, it is your responsibility to be informed about what constitutes academic misconduct, how to avoid it and what happens if you decide to engage in it. Examples of academic misconduct include (but are not limited to):
- plagiarism (turning in work of another person and not giving them credit),
- stealing an exam or course materials,
- copying another student’s homework, paper, exam
- cheating on an exam (copying from another student, turning in an exam for re-grading after making changes, working on an exam after the designated time allowance)
How to Avoid Academic Misconduct?
- Know how to cite sources in a paper, lab report or other assignments
- Use the writing center for help with citations. They are experts in APA, MLA and other citation styles.
- Avoid copying and pasting directly into your paper from the internet
- Understand the expectations and limitations when working in groups (i.e., Is collaboration allowed on the project and the written paper, or only the project and your written paper should be done alone)
What Happens If I Engage in Academic Misconduct?
The University of Wisconsin-Madison takes academic misconduct allegations very seriously. Your professor will contact you if they believe you have engaged in academic misconduct and ask you to explain your work. If they still believe you engaged in such an act after meeting with you, they will decide on a sanction, which may include a zero on the assignment or exam, a lower grade in the course or failure in the course. The Dean of Student's Office is informed and will contact the student about their rights.
Repeated acts of academic misconduct may result in more serious actions such as probation or suspension.
UWS Chapter 14 (WORD | PDF)
What Should I Do If I Know a Classmate is Cheating?
If you know a classmate is cheating on an exam or other academic exercise, notify your professor, teaching assistant or proctor of the exam. If you see a classmate cheating during an exam, raise your hand and inform the professor, teaching assistant or proctor verbally or by writing a note in your exam book. You may not want to be a tattle tale; however, as a part of the university community, you are expected to uphold the standards of the university. Also, consider how your classmate's dishonesty on the exam may affect the overall grading curve and your grade in the class.