What Is So Important About Academic Integrity?

Academic integrity means being honest with your academic work, and giving credit
where it is deserved. Institutions of higher education have academic honesty policies that
students are required to uphold. It entails doing your own work even if a classmate offers to help
on a take-home exam. It also involves writing your own content, and properly citing all the
sources in accordance with acceptable referencing techniques. Having academic integrity entails
believing in certain sets of policies, and standards of your institution, and upholding the behavior
to make sure it is consistent (Oyekan, 2013).
Primarily, having academic integrity means that other people can trust you. When dealing
with other people you act with honesty, and accomplish your promises. People trust individuals
whom they believe do the right thing, and that their behaviors are consistent with such beliefs
(Oyekan, 2013). Also, trust is an important characteristic for one to be successful leader.
Individuals who act with integrity develop good reputations and they become successful.
Developing good ethical codes while in university or college enables one to deal with ethical
issues in future at work place.
Academic integrity also adds value to a person’s educational achievements. Although
increased access to the Internet makes it nearly impossible to retain academic honesty,
Sutherland-Smith (2008) notes that students should be able to avoid plagiarism by giving credit
where it is due. Most employers prefer to employ graduates who they believe to have high
personal integrity. Furthermore, organizations prefer to have someone who will have positive
influence in the workplace and can be trusted to achieve set goals and objectives. Having
academic integrity means that one is committed to various fundamental values which are
essential in the corporate world. It applies to various endeavors like instructional programs and
writing of organizations term reports. Employees with academic integrity help maintain
organizations’ reputation, and also other equitable opportunities to excel. People who practice
right behaviors establish ethical culture within organizations and in turn promote success.

References

Oyekan O. (2013). Academic Integrity: Study & Guide. Xlibris Corporation.
Sutherland-Smith, W. (2008). Plagiarism, the Internet, and student learning: Improving
academic integrity. Routledge.