Students are expected to exhibit honesty and use ethical behaviour in all aspects of the learning process. Academic credentials they earn are rooted in principles of honesty and academic integrity. Academic dishonesty is to knowingly act or fail to act in a way that results or could result in unearned academic credit or advantage. This behaviour can result in serious consequences, e.g. the grade of zero on an assignment, loss of credit with a notation on the transcript (notation reads: “Grade of F assigned for academic dishonesty”), and/or suspension or expulsion from the university.
It is the student’s responsibility to understand what constitutes academic dishonesty. For information on the various types of academic dishonesty please refer to the Academic Integrity Policy.

The following illustrates only three forms of academic dishonesty:
1. Plagiarism, e.g. the submission of work that is not one’s own or for which other credit has been obtained.
2. Improper collaboration in-group work.
3. Copying or using unauthorized aids in tests and examinations.

Generative AI

If generative AI is permitted in a course, it will be indicated on course assignments. Any use of generative AI must be referenced and cited following the assignment’s citation instructions. Use of generative AI outside assessment guidelines or without citation will constitute academic dishonesty. It is the student’s responsibility to be clear on the appropriate use of generative AI, and the expectations for citation and referencing, and to do so appropriately.

You can find more information and resources at the Office of the Provost – Generative Artificial Intelligence page.

Turnitin and AI Writing Detection Capabilities

Turnitin has released an update that includes AI writing detection capabilities, which aims to help educators uphold academic integrity while ensuring that students are treated fairly. However, like many other institutions, McMaster has not enabled this feature as a better understanding of the functionality, privacy, and security is required.

Currently, generative AI plagiarism detection software, like Turnitin, has been found to produce false positives and are not approved for use through the University’s policy. Additionally, students have not consented to the sharing of their intellectual project through these tools and it is currently unclear how material submitted to third-party detectors is used or retained.

McMaster will continue assessing the security and privacy considerations for student work to determine whether this software aligns with existing policies.

Suspecting Violation of Academic Integrity

Should you suspect that there has been academic misconduct with a student’s submission, you may use the Question Guide for Suspected Academic Misconduct to determine next steps. You should also review How to handle Academic Dishonesty and contact your Program Manager.