Honor Code

For the full policy, please visit https://www.hofstra.edu/fps/11.html 

Statement of Principles

Hofstra University places a high value on educating students about academic integrity. At the same time, the University will not tolerate dishonesty, and it will not extend the privileges of the community to the repeat offender.

Hofstra University’s Honor Code states: “As a member of the Hofstra community, I pledge to demonstrate integrity and ethical behavior in all aspects of my life, both inside and out of the classroom. I understand that I am accountable for everything I say and write. I will not misrepresent my academic work, nor will I give or receive unauthorized assistance for academic work. I agree to respect the rights of all members of the Hofstra community. I will be guided by the values expressed in the P.R.I.D.E. Values. I accept the responsibility to follow this Honor Code at all times.”

Students are actively engaged in their own education, and each student is accountable for their work. Neglecting this responsibility is contrary to the essence of higher education and does not reflect the standards we uphold.

Individuals learn and contribute to the body of knowledge by reviewing work already done and using it as the basis for generating new ideas, discovering new data, and drawing new conclusions. While the process of learning undeniably involves collaboration, the assessment of one’s progress in this process is based on their individual contributions. Academic integrity requires carefully distinguishing one’s own work from that of others. Each individual must fully acknowledge when, where, and how their work refers to or depends on that of others. This means carefully tracing the boundary between others’ efforts and one’s own, clearly noting where others’ work leaves off and one’s own begins. 

Student Responsibility

The academic community assumes that work of any kind — whether a research paper, a critical essay, a homework assignment, a test or quiz, a computer program, or a creative assignment in any medium — is done, entirely and without unauthorized assistance, by the individual(s) whose name(s) it bears. In the case of collaborative projects, the work is expected to be wholly the work of those whose names it bears. If the work contains facts, ideas, opinions, discoveries, words, statistics, illustrations, or other elements in any media form (including electronic) that are beyond the assumption of being common knowledge, these must be fully and appropriately acknowledged, following a prescribed format for doing so. They may be acknowledged through footnotes, endnotes, citations, or whatever other means of accreditation is acceptable according to the format prescribed in that particular field of study. 

Students bear the ultimate responsibility for implementing the principles of academic integrity. Students must understand that merely identifying the source of quoted material is insufficient; it is also necessary to indicate when one is paraphrasing-rephrasing material from a source in one’s own words. Thus, the use of others’ ideas and their words must be acknowledged. Examples of guides in these matters are the Publications Manual of the American Psychological Association for the social sciences; Style and Format: The CBE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers for the natural sciences; and MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers; and Chicago Manual of Style for the humanities. Individual programs or instructors may designate more discipline-specific style manuals. 

A student who engages in an Honor Code violation, including knowingly helping another student to commit such an act, is rejecting the responsibility that is inherent in the pursuit of learning and may forfeit the right to remain a member of the academic community. This holds particularly true if the student is unwilling or unable to recognize the seriousness of the offense or fails to demonstrate such recognition by abstaining from further Honor Code violations.  

Student Violations

Any violation of the principles outlined above constitutes a violation of the Honor Code. Indeed, it is important for students to avoid even the appearance of dishonesty. In simplest terms, academic dishonesty refers to using unauthorized assistance or making false representations in work submitted for academic credit or knowingly helping others to use unauthorized assistance or make false representations in such work, before, during, or after completion of a course. Students are responsible for following the Honor Code even after a course has ended. Faculty may prepare a specific academic integrity policy, which includes specific penalties for certain violations. The following is a partial list of such violations and is not exhaustive: 

1. Violations Regarding Exams: 

1. Obtaining unauthorized information concerning an exam and/or giving such information to another student. 

2. Communicating with anyone, other than the exam proctor, while taking an exam. 

3. Helping another person cheat on an exam. 

4. Reading or copying another student’s examination sheet, test booklet, or computer screen during an exam. 

5. Possessing unauthorized materials or tools (such as books, phones, calculators, electronic hand-held devices, computers) in the examination room during an exam and/or consulting such materials or tools during an exam 

6. Failing to complete an online exam/quiz/assessment within the instructor’s authorized setting (e.g., classroom testing environment, online testing environment, or lock-down software). 

7. Not adhering to the instructor’s guidelines for online exam administration, including mandated online environment checks. 

8. Without proper authorization, beginning an exam in person or online before the prescribed start time or continuing to work on the exam after the prescribed time. 

9. Failing to submit all examination materials at the end of an exam or removing examination materials from the examination room without the proctor’s or instructor’s approval. 

10. Having another person take an exam in one’s place. 

11. Submitting work produced with unauthorized collaboration or assistance. 

2. Violations Regarding Plagiarism: 

1. Quoting, restating, paraphrasing, or otherwise using someone else’s words, work, or ideas without providing appropriate citations and bibliographic information. 

2. Using any undisclosed or unauthorized services or materials, received physically or electronically (e.g., through online academic support platforms). 

3. Copying from another’s term paper or computer files. 

4. Submitting work produced with unauthorized collaboration or assistance. 

5. Fabricating sources. 

3. Other Violations: 

1. Submitting the same or a significantly similar work for credit more than once without the consent of the instructors involved. 

2. Falsifying or fabricating data. 

3. Using computer programs or data without proper authorization or acknowledgment. 

4. Making academic work available to others to present as the recipients’ own. 

5. Making someone else’s academic work available to others, including course material such as exams or answers to assignments. 

6. Helping another person cheat on an assignment. 

7. Submitting work produced with collaboration or assistance unauthorized by the instructor. 

8. Selling or unauthorized sharing of an instructor’s materials (e.g., assignments, lab reports, lectures, instructional materials, quizzes, exams, and/or the answers) to Hofstra students or outside parties. 

For information on how to appeal an Honor Code violation filed by an instructor, please visit: https://www.hofstra.edu/fps/11.html