Response
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response2.docxMoral and ethical principles whether biblically based or based upon civility and or “citizenship” should be our guiding compass for life. These principles should provide us with direction(s) as we navigate both personal and professional opportunities and challenges. Honesty is one of many moral principles but it’s the most relevant and most referenced moral principle when one thinks about academics. Honesty lends itself to ethical decision-making.
Ethical issues speak to the core of our conscience, we become motivated to make “correct” moral choices, utilizing reliable guides such as Liberty University’s Online Honor Code and Writing With Integrity (Graduate Writing Center) Both, honesty and ethics are the foundation of academic integrity. Integrity is a virtue; it is essentially adhering to one’s principals. Exercising these same morals and values professional are of great importance as I serve in various leadership capacities. I must abide by the golden rule of due unto others, as I would have them do unto me. I must be a servant leader first and foremost just as King David and King Solomon were. I must exercise humility and obedience as King Josiah did. All of these characteristics are the foundations of integrity.
Academic integrity refers to the ethical principles that, in theory, guide academic practice. Colleges use the term academic integrity to describe policies in place to address issues of academic misconduct and academic dishonesty in research and course assignments. Academic misconduct refers to a breach of ethical conduct (such as cheating or intentional plagiarism) and academic dishonesty refers to a behavior or set of behaviors that lead to the misrepresentation of scholarly work (International Center for Academic Integrity) [ICAI], (2015).
Because “judgment and choice are pervasive activities {and} inevitable aspect(s) of living” (Hogarth, 1987, p.1), we constantly face both mundane and complex ethical dilemmas in our personal and professional lives (Pope & Vetter, 1992). In attempting to find solutions to these dilemmas, we rarely reexamine our own system of values and beliefs. (Bersoff and Koeppl, 1993, P. 345)
Academic integrity is a matter of abiding by and constantly reexamining our moral principles and values. Our system of moral principles and value should eliminate the internal conflict and judgment to abide by and adhere to Liberty University’s Code of Honor or any other Academic Institute or professional organization.
I will achieve and maintain academic integrity by allowing my Christian based moral principles (below) guide me in ethical decisions making. Morals and ethics are intertwined yielding integrity, in this case academic integrity.
Do good, not evil (or avoid evil)
Do unto other as you would have them do unto you.
The end does not justify the means
Woiceshyn (2011) describes ethical decision making as consisting of four generic steps: identifying the moral issue, making a moral judgment, establishing moral intent, and engaging in moral action. Academic integrity at the doctorate level resembles ethical decision-making, its a matter of honesty (moral issues) and making the right decision to abide by and adhere to the Code of honor (judgment) subsequently results in moral action which in this case is publishing with integrity and citing sources appropriately, using the requisite APA guidelines.
Academic integrity in the DSL program means being honest and accurately representing the work I’m publishing in my own words and appropriately citing other publications or information that is not my own and was used to develop my published work. This will ensure that I avoid plagiarism, given credit to the authors; “Do to otherswhatever you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12). The Gospel of Jesus Christ requires us to make the decisive choice between "the two ways"; right or wrong, putting into practice the word of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, it is the Golden Rule.
In the world of academics, plagiarism takes on moral and ethical dimensions” (Shashikiran, 2014). Here is where another moral and ethical principle comes into consideration, the end does not justify the means; needing to get a good grade or pass an exam doesn’t justify cheating or plagiarism.‘There are those who say: And why not do evil that good may come? Their condemnation is just' (Rom 3:8).'' Utilizing various resources such as the APA Publication Manual (6thEdition), APA Guidelines Quick Study Sheet, and tools such as Endnotes will reduce the burden of properly citing text and constructing the required reference page.
Also the requirement of utilizing peer-reviewed material will aid in ensuring academic integrity because these published works themselves have been through the peer-view process to prevent plagiarism. The peer review process is very much a part of the integrity process. There are numerous resources that are at my disposal to ensure I’m abiding my Liberty’s Code of Honor utilizing APA standards such at Liberty’s Graduate Writing Center, which is designed to help online students follow graduate-level writing standards, by providing tutorials, presentations, and web resources.
References:
Bersoff, D. N., & Koeppl, P. M. (1993). The Relation Between Ethical
Codes and Moral Principles. Ethics and Behavior, 3(3–4), 345–357.
Retrieved from http://ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?url=
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pif&AN=PHL1250258&site=ehost-live&scope=site
International Center for Academic Integrity (2015). The fundamental values
project: Clemson, SC: Clemson University Press. Retrieved from www.academicintegrity.org
Shashikiran N D. Plagiarism and academic integrity.
J Indian Soc Pedod Prev Dent[serial online] 2014 [cited 2018 Sep 26];32:1-2. Retrieved from: http://www.jisppd.com/text.asp?2014/32/1/1/126989
Woiceshyn, J. (2011). A Model for Ethical Decision Making in Business:
