Aligning policy and practice: An approach to integrating academic integrity

Abstract

This paper reports on the implementation of academic integrity at an Australian university. La Trobe University has a well-written policy detailing values and actions to discourage academic misconduct, but it could align policy and practices for an integrated approach to educating about academic integrity and it could review how alleged instances of plagiarism are handled. This paper describes holistic approaches to academic integrity, and explains how constructive alignment could be used to cultivate a learning environment where there is consistency in dealing with plagiarism. The need to monitor practices and strategies for dealing with academic misconduct is also discussed. For convenience, a checklist of practices supporting an aligned approach to implementing academic integrity has been included. This paper is written for educational developers, student learning advisers, those who have an interest in teaching and learning practices, and those who are concerned about managing risk.