Academic Integrity Toolkit

‘Academic integrity’ describes the values held to be essential in university study in the UK. The six core values we work to at the University of Reading are:

• Trust - preparing work that is honest, thoughtful and genuine.
• Honesty – being truthful about which ideas are your own and which are derived from others, and about the methods and results of your research.
• Fairness – not trying to gain an advantage by unfair means: for instance, by passing off others’ work as your own.
• Responsibility – taking an active role in your own learning: for instance, by seeking out the information you need to study effectively.
• Respect – for your fellow students, your tutors, and the work of other scholars.

• Courage – taking a stand to address a wrongdoing and defending integrity
  
  
  (Adapted from International Center for Academic Integrity (2021) The fundamental values of academic integrity, 3^rd edn. Available at: https://academicintegrity.org/resources/fundamental-values (Accessed: 18^th May 2022) 

You practise academic integrity in your academic writing by working with the six values in mind, and particularly by using correct and accurate referencing. This shows that you can:

• be honest about which ideas were derived from others;
• act fairly by not taking credit for others’ work;
• take responsibility by finding out what is required of you and how you should carry it out;
• show respect for others by acknowledging the part they have played in building your knowledge and understanding.
• produce work that can be trusted

The values of academic integrity will influence the way you work in all aspects of your studies at university. For instance:

• When you take notes from your reading, or do practical research, you’ll be demonstrating your work can be trusted when you ensure that there are no errors which could invalidate the conclusions you are reaching, and that you have correctly represented the views of others.
• When you're reading, you'll be showing you can work with honesty when you make sure that you always record the details of what you read so you can acknowledge the authors.
• Fairness might be shown by not putting up barriers to others, for instance by or not talking during lectures or making sure they are included in seminar discussions.
• You'll demonstrate that you can take responsibility by working out for yourself what you need to know to succeed in your subject and skills knowledge, and how and where you're going to find it.
• Finally you would show respect for your fellow students when you include them and listen to their views during group work, but are careful to make sure that the work you submit under your own name is all your own work.

These are just a few examples, but you will see how academic integrity works in practice by bearing the values in mind as you carry out your studies at university.