Academic integrity is a basic requirement for scientific work. Only where teaching, studying, and research is carried out in accordance with the values and rules of good academic practice can academic institutions be guaranteed to function and be trustworthy. Here you can find information on guidelines, frameworks, and ideas for communicating this content to students and young academics.
What Is Academic Integrity?
“Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz is committed to the maxim of academic integrity: The daily activities of its members in research, teaching, and studying, in continuing academic education and in academic management are in line with the values and rules of good academic practice.” - from JGU’s mission statement (PDF).
We define academic integrity as an attitude and behavior that is in line with academic standards and with ethical and legal requirements for academic pursuits. The term not only covers research in the narrowest sense, but also applies to studying and teaching. One of the central tasks of academic teaching is to familiarize students and young researchers with the standards of good academic practice and to enable as well as to encourage them to comply with these standards.
Such an understanding is based on the JGU's Regulations for Safeguarding Good Scientific Practice (PDF) and the German Research Foundation's Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Scientific Practice (PDF).
Scientific Misconduct and Fraud?
Academic integrity often becomes an issue when it comes to breaches of good academic practice - be it plagiarism in an essay, forms of data manipulation or the impediment of others’ research activities. We have compiled information on how to deal with fraud and academic misconduct for you.
How to Teach Academic Integrity?
Research (see the FAIRUSE study, for example) shows that misconduct occurs particularly where requirements are unclear to students and study conditions are problematic or when students feel that their own capabilities are too low to achieve their study goals fairly. Our prevention services therefore begin by clarifying the requirements and presenting academic standards in an understandable way. This information is supplemented by teaching basic academic working techniques (for example, when dealing with other people’s ideas).
For JGU teaching staff and students, we have put together a range of materials related to this topic in our toolbox.
In addition, we offer workshops on the basics of academic integrity and approaches to teaching as part of JGU training programs.
You are also welcome to ask us about a training session tailored to your needs:
More On The Topic
Would you like to find out more about issues related to good academic practice and academic integrity? We have compiled an extensive list of literature on the subject. Further information, contact and advisory services, and a reading version of the Regulations for Safeguarding Good Scientific Practice at JGU can be found at gwp.uni-mainz.de.
Consultation and Individual Services
We would be happy to advise you on ways of preventing misconduct and detecting plagiarism or to assist you with the development of subject- and situation-specific mediation offers.
