V I O L AT I O N S O F

ACADEMIC
WRITING

Presented by:
AILEEN JOY C. CASTRO
 DATA FABRICATION

- is making up data or results and recording

or reporting them.
Examples:
1. Taking the work of another student without permission
2. Changing or making up lab data to fit hypothesis
3. Using data or images from other past research of their
own or of others and presenting them as newly discovered
data.
 DATA FALSIFICATION

- is manipulating research materials,

equipment, or processes, or changing or
omitting data as results such that the
research is not accurately represented in the
research record.
• Cooking – is retaining and
reporting only the data that fits the
theory and discarding others.

• Trimming – is the smoothing of

irregularities to make the data
look more accurate and precise
than they really are.
Examples:

1.Unjustified modifications to the data records in

lab notes.
2.Reporting fraudulent details of experimental
procedures, materials and figures in research
proposals and articles.
3.Dishonest presentation of the study content in
an abstract for an academic presentation
CAUSES OF ACADEMIC
DISHONESTY
1. Peer Pressure
2. Performance Anxiety
3. Excuse Making
4. Inability to Manage Demands of Student Life
5. Situations that Encourage Academic Dishonesty
6. Self-Justification Habits
7. Unfamiliarity with what Constitutes Academic Dishonesty
CONSEQUENCES FOR ACADEMIC
DISHONESTY
1. Social Consequences – the habitual nature of cheating
indicates that those who cheat in academic activities and
think they can get away with it may continue to cheat at work,
in family life, and in other aspects of life.

2. Loss of Intellectual Property – an original work created by

someone is the “currency” for that individual and when another
person uses it without permission, the author loses his/her
intellectual property, recognition and possible income.
 3. Inaccurate Assessment – when students cheat or plagiarize in
academic activities, instructors cannot accurately assess student
performance or evaluate students’ mastery of the knowledge, skills
and applications necessary in their field.
 4. Practical Concerns – when students who commit act of
academic dishonesty are granted credentials that they have
successfully completed a course or program of study when they
have not, it can have serious consequences in the workplace.
5. Legal Consequences – faculty may involve students in projects granted to
the university by external sponsors (businesses, government agencies or
professional organizations) to provide students with opportunities for
working on real-life problems. If students falsify and fabricate data in such
projects, sponsors can take formal actions against the university.

6. Students’ Self-esteem – students who cheat and at first get away with it
may, in the long run, feel guilty and suffer from low self – esteem.
FABRICATION AND
FALSIFICATION EXAMPLES
Fabricating data:

• Dr. Eric Poelman was a prominent researcher who held a Canada

Research Chair at the Universite de Montreal. This position was
was stripped when, based on testimony from a former lab technician,
he was found guilty of falsifying and fabricating research data on
menopause, aging and hormone replacement therapy in several U.S.
grant applications and journal article publications from 1992 to
2000. (New York Time article)
Consequences to Dr. Poehlman: stripped of research chair and
Professorship, $180,000 U.S fine, prison sentence.

Real life examples from Universities:

• Master student falsified marks on transcript from another institution.
Consequence: The student was expelled
• Student falsified signatures on reference letters in an application to
a PhD program.
Consequence: The student received academic probation until the end
of the PhD program. The student was also to provide three authentic
and verifiable letters from the same referees named on the original
application to University. Failure to provide these three letters would
would result in expulsion.
• Discrepancies were found in the student’s transcript from his/her previous
institution. The discrepancies included ten altered grades on the transcript
and incorrect English translation of the Certificate of Graduation.

Consequence: a deadline was set to arrange for an official academic

transcript showing the awarding of a degree and graduation certificate
to be sent directly from the previous institution. Those documents
were not received and the student was expelled.

*These examples were obtained from the Academic Discipline & Student
Grievance activity section of the Office of Academic integrity website.
STRATEGIES FOR PREVENTING
RESEARCH MISCONDUCT

1. Ensure policies governing academic research not only are in place,

but are followed. - make sure everyone in the research environment
knows they have a role in protecting research integrity.

2. Set standards for supervision of all testing – it is critical that leadershi

set expectations for every member of the research team regarding the
need for transparency among team members in the research setting.
3. Enforce expectations for process rigor – lack of rigor is another
defining element in academic research cases gone wrong.
4. Communicate expectations for accurate accounting time spent on
Research activities. – provide education to team members on the types
of activities that should be included in research hours that are
documented for grant purposes and how to document their work.
5. Evaluate the strength of your grant accounting function –
researchers who conduct studies funded by government grants must be
good stewards of the government monies provided to them.
6. Establish an Office of Research Integrity – Institutions must be
equipped to respond to allegations of academic research misconduct
in a timely manner.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING