A number of high schools, colleges, and universities have adopted an honor code to cultivate integrity amongst students at their institution. These principles vary from cheating to tardiness, to plagiarism and have garnered praise from multiple outlets for apparently being successful in preventing cheating and enforcing punishment for those who break the rules. However, others like myself, criticize the honor code due to skepticism in its abilities to prevent such rule breaking, its success in being enforced, and whether it would actually convince a student to not cheat. If Windham High School were to establish an honor code, it would be a failure given that it would not encourage students to abstain from breaking it. Academic institutions …show more content…
However, those attending Harvard question the validity of the system and are skeptical of its effectiveness, saying, “critics – especially Harvard students – are skeptical that signing a piece of paper will suddenly cause a cheater to change his ways.” Essentially, the only thing that will determine a student’s behavior and integrity (or lack thereof) is whether they choose to conduct themselves in a proper manner, not the honor code. In addition, the article also suggests that if an “honest” student was surrounded by “cheater” students, the dishonest culture would advocate for the the student to also partake in illicit behavior due to pressure from peers. From my perspective, this wouldn’t just fail to effectively promote virtue across Windham High School’s student body, but the practice of encouraging an honors system would lead to unfortunate implications as student’s will conduct themselves in a stealthier manner as they attempt to evade authority and punishment in their efforts break rules. A decision such as this one made at Windham High School would also be subjected to this similar criticism as this culture of honesty vs integrity when discussing cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of rule breaking can also be seen here at Windham High
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Show MoreThe student author of the editorial seems to respect the honor code Groveton expects from its students, yet the author assumes the code itself is solely responsible for the alleged reduction in cheating at the school. Citing a survey to further empahsize the aforementioned assumption, the author only invites more speculation on the topic rather than providing further evidence as intended. While cheating is a frowned upon topic in all universities, this editorial is rife with assumptions and fallacious deduction, rendering the argument weak and unconvincing. First, the reporting system for Groveton 's novel honor code and the "old-fashioned" system it replaced both relyed solely on a human witness for reporting. Teachers used to monitor students and the new protocol calls for students to monitor each other and report any instances of cheating.
Fairmont Heights has had a long history filled with many questionable decisions and people making those decisions. An honor code is put into place to better build the integrity of people and the school they attend. And by making Fairmont Heights have an honor code would be the biggest waste of time the school would ever think of doing. Honor codes belong at already established schools that are better than Fairmont and will always be. The main reason an honor code would be foolish to instill in the minds of the student body would be due to the fact that Fairmont Height students have about as much integrity as Benedict Arnold.
Laurel high School is an academic establishment that has it’s fair share of rules concerning academic integrity. However, the honor codes on certain practice, particularly cheating, are not thoroughly enforced. I propose that my school should revise its policies on cheating to ensure that students are earning the grades they deserve and not achieving through academic dishonesty. As aforementioned, Laurel already has an honor code for cheating. The general policy is that as a consequence, the students involved should be punished and their grades put in jeopardy.
Tiffany Mikkelson Composition 106 February 14, 2016 Honor system In the essay “Is Academic Integrity in our College Campuses Under Assault.” It asks if by having an honor system it helps keep students from cheating. I can see both sides as to how having one may or may not help. Having an honor system is a good idea as it will help to keep most students honest.
Like Source F states, “Many students would simply be embarrassed to have other students find out they were cheating.” Meaning that many students grew up believing and knowing cheating was wrong and that it would have a punishment. However, thanks to the honor code, students who find others cheating and believe it is unfair know that if they decide to say something, their peer or classmate caught cheating will be properly punished. As Source D exposed, there was a teacher at the University of Virginia who narrated that
QUESTION 1 It is noted that there are 3 honour codes that are informally enforced. Firstly, Nobles and gentles were anticipated to act more dignified than the lower class, towards which they had commitment as overlords of an end-result of medieval administration. Secondly, loyalty to the military leaders was private and officers were individual from a strong fellowship which declared the privilege of comprehensive self-management. Lastly, officers battled for the conservation and improvement of conventional triumph.
Students are faced with more stress and unnecessary responsibilities. Honor codes stop students from learning many important communication skills, due to the fear of getting in trouble for plagiarism or unauthorized collaboration. Likewise, students are tempted to cheat by honor codes, due to the loose restrictions during exams. Students can take the test on their own time, and without a professor, meaning temptation will become increasingly hard to repress. Furthermore, students are forced to disclose their close peers for cheating, which cause tensions between classmates.
Why take the chance? Kahn states that at UV found that 157 students have been investigated and even though that seems like a lot 39 of those dropped out or lost their diplomas. Even though it happens the overall statement is that you can get caught and when it happens the punishment is severe. The honor code is in place so it limits cheating and provides a fair environment for example Sledge shows that 48 percent of the 275 people surveyed that the honor code is enforced fairly and 65 percent of students say that it is brought up in class or it is on the syllabus. This is at the college level and and only 48 percent of people think it is enforced fairly so, let's think about the high school level where the 48 would be even lower.
Another 40% of students violated the honor code and aren’t caught, which just proves that it’s not working. If students are failing to report any cheating incidents, it defeats the purpose of an “honor code”. The schools should take into consideration that students aren’t going to tell on their friends, well most of them won’t. The honor system should be kept only if students are willing to participate, otherwise it’s unnecessary.
Honor codes should be mandatory in every school because schools are places where students learn the skills necessary in order to face the reality of life and the hard work that is needed in order to succeed. If schools do not enforce an honor code, students will develop with the notion that cheating is not punishable and is socially acceptable, even though this is in fact not true. In light of this, it is imperative that schools avoid this misconception so that students understand that cheating is not acceptable. Honor codes help in accomplishing this because they instill the preconceived notion that they should be honest with themselves about how much knowledge they really have about a subject. Furthermore, honor codes create a fair system of judgment for all
In reflecting on the honor code in relation to Berger’s perspective of dignity and honor on the individual and societal levels, I find myself perplexed by the questions it raises regarding its relation to the construct of society as an issue of and rather than of or. Is the drive of the students to commit to their pledge not to lie, cheat, or steal, during their time at the university a result of their desire to maintain their dignity as an individual or is it a result of their desire to maintain their honor among their society? Similar to the construct of society, I believe this question is also an issue of and rather than or. Students follow the honor code because they wish to maintain their dignity as individuals and their honor among their student society. This
Without integrity the honor system would fail due to the lack of honesty that is being set in place by having the students taking a pledge. With this being said students that take school seriously want pure focus and having the honor code it allows these principles to be put in place for better grades and higher rates of success. The author Chris Kahn in Source D uses a quote that shows the students use to commit to the honor code, “On my honor as a student, I have neither given nor received aid on this assignment/exam.” Kahn says that these students write the quote on every test that they turn in to provide a reminder that they are under the honor code. This is a strategy that is a strict form of the honor system letting the students to have complete trust in each other and to have the educators trust.
In today’s society schools hold their honor codes high in the air as a sign that their school has a policy against cheating. Yet, that has not fixed the problem. In our technological society answers to quizzes, worksheets, and essays can be accessed and shared in a second. Honor codes have not fixed the problem, but they haven’t worsened it. At Cedaredge High School we do not have a written honor code.
Many Schools and institutes of higher learning have implemented an honor code or honor system, with the purpose being to lower the rate of dishonest behavior, mainly cheating, stealing, and plagiarizing. These honor codes do not always prove effective, there are still those who cheat and the proof that honor codes change anything is minimal. These flaws show that schools need to revise their honor code or honor system. Many times Honor codes are disagreeable to the student body.
The important thing about academic integrity is that’s what learning is all about. It provides an opportunity for an academic institution to come together as a community, because it provides the legitimacy to the pursuits of all students. For example, would you like to go to a doctor who