Academic Honesty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Academic Honesty - Essay Example Many students want to strive for the degree but they have difficulty maintaining academic honesty because of many factors. Many students must balance home, school and work. Others are taking too many course hours at one time. Still others have a lack of understanding as to how to do the work they are required to do. Many students are too intimidated by their instructors to ask questions or they do not know the questions to ask. All of these factors can stop a student from having the highest academic honesty possible. The question is, "Why is academic honesty important?" Most people would say that the reason has to do with a students ethics. Taylor-Mendes (n.d.) states that "Academic honesty is about protecting and preserving the reputation of your university degree and your personal integrity." (p. 1). Higher education and society benefit when colleges and universities have standards of integrity that provide the foundation for a vibrant academic life, promote scientific progress, and prepare students for responsible citizenship. (p. 5). Both authors state that it is important for students to be honest in their dealings in college because it helps them to become better citizens. The challenge for students who cheat is that if they are caught, it can ruin their chances of passing a class or of getting their degree. If they cheat on a job application and say they won the degree, they can be fired for falsifying the application at a later date. Values are another area that is being talked about when discussing academic honesty. As an example, Keohane points out that there are five values that universities should promote: "honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility" (p. 5). When these values are examined it may be said that some people have them, in some people they can be cultivated and some people do not care about them. In