Academic Integrity
Policy
Humanities Master of Arts
California State University, Dominguez Hills
Most students scrupulously uphold the responsibility to do their own intellectual work on each
assignment for HUX courses and to credit sources, both primary and secondary, unambiguously
and precisely according to Modern Language Association guidelines. In practicing these
principles of scholastic honesty, we ensure the value of knowledge and the authority of this
master’s degree.
In keeping with the University’s commitment to the learning objectives that our academic
programs set forth, we want to affirm the benefits of academic integrity, as explained in our
current University Catalog, and to advise students strongly to avoid practices that are dishonest.
As presented in the catalog, academic dishonesty encompasses forms of cheating and plagiarism,
including fabrication (“intentional…invention of any information or citation in an academic
exercise”), facilitating academic dishonesty (“knowingly helping or attempting to help another to
violate a provision of the institutional code of academic integrity”), plagiarism (“deliberated
adoption or reproduction of ideas or words or statements of another person as one’s own without
acknowledgement”).
The catalog goes on to say: “Thus, all academic work submitted by a student as his or her own
should be in his or her own unique style, words and form. When a student submits work [or part
of a work ] that purports to be his/her original work, but actually is not, the students has
committed plagiarism.” You can find the full current catalog statement on academic integrity at:
http://www.csudh.edu/catalog/2011-2013
Scholars are legally and morally bound to credit every direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary
(of work, whole or in part, in the writer’s own words) and to cite all sources of information when
that information may not reasonably be considered common knowledge. Acknowledgement of
sources should be clear and precise, according to the conventions and forms of the Modern
Language Association manual.
The consequences of violating standards of intellectual honesty can be severe. Academic
dishonesty is an offense and will be penalized fully. The university subscribes to
turnitin.com, and your professor may request an electronic copy of your paper to determine
whether you used sources inappropriately. You will at the least receive a failing grade in the
course if you commit plagiarism in any of your course assignments. In addition, the
University may impose further disciplinary measures such as dismissal from the program and
university.