The Biology Department expects students to conduct themselves with honor and integrity at all times. This includes, but is not limited to, respecting your instructors and fellow students in your comportment and behavior, as well as respecting how the intellectual accomplishments of others contribute to your own academic work. The Department’s academic integrity policy governs both novel and traditional assessments (written, audiovisual or verbal) including but not limited to examinations, quizzes, laboratory reports, oral presentations, poster presentations, artwork or other electronic projects which you submit for a grade.
In crediting the work of others, all sources must be acknowledged. You must cite material produced by other students, material found in the primary or secondary literature, course handouts, material obtained from student collaboration, use of any utility (including generative artificial intelligence tools or Chatbots) and content available on the internet.
Your instructor will provide a syllabus that outlines the academic integrity policy as well as a statement about the use of generative AI (also known as ChatBots) in their classroom. You should abide by the guidelines laid out in the syllabus. At the discretion of the instructor, some uses of generative AI may be allowed in some classes but not others. In any setting, using generative AI to produce written work and presenting it as your own violates both departmental and college academic integrity policies.
During course assessments, students are expected to know and abide fully by any test-taking condition (written, audiovisual or verbal) established by the course instructor. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, it will be understood that any unauthorized use of notes, books, electronic aids or other reference materials, or collaboration in any way with another person, is prohibited and will be treated as a violation of Lafayette College policy on academic integrity.
The Lafayette Student Handbook offers a more detailed discussion of academic integrity, including the procedures followed in cases alleging academic dishonesty and the possible penalties that may arise. It also includes extensive treatment of what constitutes a breach of academic integrity. The Department expects students to be familiar with their handbook and abide by the dictates set forth therein.
Individual instructors may establish more comprehensive guidelines within their respective courses; you as a student are responsible for knowing and understanding any and all such rules for courses in which you are enrolled. If you have any questions about what constitutes academic dishonesty in general or in a specific situation, it is your responsibility to discuss the matter with your instructor.