Plagiarism policy

The Department of Nutrition and Food Science (NFS) abides by the Wayne State University policy on academic dishonesty and considers all forms of cheating as improper. NFS takes plagiarism to constitute a very severe academic offense, and impose the penalties, as specified below, approved in WSU's Academic Regulations document and in the Student Due Process Policy document.

Definition of plagiarism

"The term 'plagiarism' means to take and use another's words or ideas as one's own." (From WSU Student Due Process Policy 3.9)

"Plagiarism is using another person's words or ideas without giving credit to the other person. When you use someone else's words, you must put quotation marks around them and give the writer or speaker credit by revealing the source in a citation. Even if you revise or paraphrase the words of someone else or just use their ideas, you must give the author credit in a note." (From William Harris, "Anti-Plagiarism Strategies for Research Papers," https://virtualsalt.com/antiplag.htm, August 9, 2007)

"In researched writing, you will be drawing on the work of other writers, and you must document their contributions by citing your sources. Sources are cited for two reasons: to tell readers where your information comes from and to give credit to the writers from whom you have borrowed words and ideas. To borrow another writer's language or ideas without proper acknowledgement is a form of dishonesty knows as plagiarism." (From Diana Hacker, A Pocket Style Manual, Third Edition (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's 2000), 144.)

Note: Materials found on the internet, whether from scholarly sources, discussion lists, or paper mills, are not exempt from these rules. You must cite electronic material in the same way as you cite print sources.

Nutrition and Food Science practices

Instructors who receive plagiarized assignments or essays have several options for taking disciplinary action. The most common penalties for plagiarism in this department are 1) assigning the student a failing grade for the assignment in question or 2) assigning the student a failing grade for the class. Each course syllabus contains the instructor's plagiarism policy, and the Department supports individual actions taken in accordance with those policies, provided that they comply with university guidelines. The instructor may also request that formal charges be filed by the department with the university judicial officer for possible further disciplinary action.

Assignments that have been plagiarized in their entirety, or assignments in which the majority of the submission is plagiarized, whether from a print source or from an electronic source, automatically result in failure of the course for which they have been submitted.

Instructors who receive plagiarized work provide the Department with the student's name, copies of the assignment in question, the source from which the assignment was plagiarized, and the letter of notification to the student. These materials are kept on file for three years.

The names of students found in violation of the Nutrition and Food Science Department Plagiarism Policy will be sent to the Deans of the Colleges or program in which the students are enrolled, or in which the students plan to enroll.

Depending on the nature and extent of the offense, Nutrition and Food Science may file charges on its own behalf with the Judicial Officer. All cases of multiple plagiarisms by any student more than one plagiarized paper submitted in a single course or plagiarism violations in more than one course are automatically referred to the Judicial Officer with a recommendation for further disciplinary action, including suspension and expulsion.

Appeals and due process

Students charged with plagiarism by an instructor will receive written notification of that charge from the instructor, along with notification of the penalty the instructor has determined for the infraction.

Students will also receive from the instructor a packet containing a copy of the Student Due Process Policy, a pamphlet entitled "Academic Integrity" which outlines the appeals process, and information about the Ombudsperson's function and office.

Students wishing to appeal a grade assigned on the basis of plagiarism charges should start the process by filing a formal appeal with the Chair of the Nutrition and Food Science Department (313 577-2500). The instructor's presence is not required at the appeal hearing.

Should the Chair uphold the instructor's grade, the student may pursue the appeal beyond the departmental level, as described by the Student Due Process Policy and the Academic Integrity brochure. The Ombudsperson may be consulted at any stage of this process (313 577-3487).

Copies of the Due Process Policy are available from the Office of the Vice President for Student Development, 470 Student Center. The "Academic Integrity" pamphlet may be obtained from the Dean's office of any WSU school or college.

WSU policy statements on academic integrity

Student Due Process Policy

3.1 "The term "academic dishonesty" means any activity which tends to compromise the academic integrity of the institution or subvert the education process."

Examples of academic dishonesty include cheating, plagiarism, and "violation of course rules as contained in the course syllabus or other written information provided to the student."

"The term 'plagiarism' means to take and use another's words or ideas as one's own."

4. Prohibited Conduct

"The following conduct is subject to disciplinary action when it occurs on university premises, or in connection with a university course"¦" ...
4.1 "All forms of academic dishonesty."

University academic regulations

For complete Student Due Process and Academic Integrity documents, please visit the DOSO Student Conduct Services page.

WSCUA (WSU code annotated)

2.31.01 Student Rights and Responsibilities

2.31.01.110: Each student has the responsibility to comply with the rules governing students at the university.

2.31.01.140: Each student has the responsibility to support academic integrity.

WSU disciplinary actions for academic dishonesty

The Student Due Process Policy document stipulates that violation of university rules on prohibited conduct (4.0), which includes "All forms of academic dishonesty" (4.1), are "subject to disciplinary action." With regard to academic dishonesty, instructors are allowed to "adjust the grade downward (including downgrading to a failing grade) for the test, paper or other course-related activity in question, or for the entire course." (10.1).

The faculty member has the additional option of filing charges with the university judicial officer (10.2, 10.3), who forwards the charges to the Dean. Possible disciplinary sanctions at this level may include disciplinary reprimand, disciplinary probation, suspension, or expulsion (5.0-5.4).