Harvey Mudd College
Computer Science Department
Academic Honesty Policy Effective 4 September 2001


Introduction


The Harvey Mudd College Computer Science Department has adopted a uniform policy in an effort to provide a clear understanding of unacceptable forms of collaboration on computer science assignments, examinations, and other written course work. This policy is a clarification of our Honor Code as it applies to computer science course work. When developing computer software, hardware, or algorithms, the most desirable learning results when each student plays the major role in the construction of his or her own work. Unacceptable collaboration has, in the past, led to a variety of disciplinary actions. The department hopes to prevent the need for such actions in the future by stating its policy as clearly as possible.

The Policy


Students may submit only their own work done without collaboration, unless it is expressly stated otherwise by the instructor. This policy is further elaborated below.

Your Obligations


As a student enrolling in any computer science course, you are expected to know and adhere to the policy stated here. We ask you to so indicate by signing this form and giving it to your instructor for storage in the departmental file. You only need to sign this document once for all courses taken. When you submit work, you are asserting that it is your own.

Elaboration


While Harvey Mudd College encourages students to exchange ideas, the college considers it important that individual learning, evaluation, and certification are not compromised. Therefore, our policy is not to allow such exchanges unless permission is explicitly given. Unacceptable use of the work of others occurs when a student uses another’s work illicitly or covertly, including one or more of the following:

  • communication of solution material related to an assignment from one student to another, either partially or entirely, in any form, (e.g., verbally; through electronic mail; on the Web; in file systems; on magnetic, optical, or video media; or in printed form). The word communication here includes passive as well as active communication (i.e. where a student makes work generally available by posting it publicly or leaving it unattended).
  • incorporation of material from a passive source (published or unpublished listings, Web pages, ftp sites, etc.) without proper acknowledgment or citation.
  • comparison of solutions between or among students for the purpose of possible revision.

Unacceptable uses are regarded as plagiarism. If you have received permission from the instructor to get help of a legitimate nature from another person or source, you must acknowledge that person or cite the source in your submission. Ideally, sources are easily consulted by others who evaluate your work.

Group Assignments


Group assignments obviously require collaboration. The above rules apply here as well, but with the word student replaced by the word group.

Detection


Collaboration is usually very noticeable by graders and surprisingly easy to confirm. The instructor will investigate the origin of similarities in cases where two distinct submissions appear to be the same in their code, even if identifiers have been renamed, comments have been changed, and so forth.

Penalties


Infringements have occurred in the past and have resulted in a range of disciplinary actions including failing grades for the course, loss of computing privileges, required public letters of apology, academic probation, required community service, suspension, and expulsion. Any perceived infractions will be referred to HMC's Judicial Board, or to the comparable unit at your home college. These agencies will then determine the appropriate penalties in consultation with your instructor.

"I have read the policy documented here in its entirety and understand its implications."

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