Plagiarism

The video introduces plagiarism as the appropriation of another person's words or ideas without citation, applying to all materials and sources. It highlights that plagiarism is not only a copyright violation but also a lack of intellectual integrity. Avoiding plagiarism helps students structure thoughts, integrate ideas, and develop profound understanding, essential skills for future engineers who need to synthesize information and form opinions.

The first scenario discusses whether a student can reuse complete sections of a previously submitted paper for a new course. The answer is no, because academic courses require new and original text demonstrating acquired knowledge. However, students can discuss with their professor if they want to build upon previous work from a new angle.

The second scenario addresses a friend asking to use parts of your previously written paper. The video states that this is not allowed, as both the student who shares their work and the student who uses it can be accused of fraud. Sharing work deprives the friend of an opportunity to demonstrate their own understanding.

The third scenario explores what happens when one member of a group plagiarizes material for a group assignment. Contrary to common belief, the entire group will be held responsible. To avoid this, groups must set clear rules of conduct and double-check citations before submission. Tools like Google searches or paid textual similarity detection software can help identify plagiarism.

The fourth scenario examines filming a professor's lectures and posting them or their course notes on a public website. While not plagiarism, this demonstrates a lack of intellectual integrity, violates privacy, and infringes copyright. Students can only post their own notes or self-produced documents.

ÉTS mandates all students to report known acts of plagiarism or fraud. Detected cases lead to a report and a hearing before a departmental or institutional disciplinary committee. Potential sanctions range from written reprimands and failing grades to suspension or permanent expulsion. Ignorance of rules is not an admissible defense.

Engineers must adhere to a strict code of conduct emphasizing integrity. Students are urged to maintain high ethical standards, contribute genuinely to their work, and avoid shortcuts. The video stresses the importance of citing sources for all materials, including online texts and images, due to copyright protection. Using code from public repositories without citation and using paper-writing services are also considered fraud.

ÉTS has a zero-tolerance policy against plagiarism and fraud. The institutional disciplinary committee, chaired by the Director of Academic Affairs, ensures a level playing field for all students. Common offenses like cell phone use during exams or failing to return question booklets typically result in failing the course, even if accidental, due to potential serious consequences like exam question disclosure.