Syllabus Statement on Plagiarism and Cheating
You might consider including the following statement in all of your course syllabi. It not only defines cheating and plagiarism but tells the student where to find information about university procedures and penalties for these offenses. By quoting the Student Handbook, the statement shows that this is not just an individual instructor's concern but that it is an important element in students' code of conduct.
The SFA Student Handbook states:
"It is the responsibility of the student to abstain from cheating. Dishonesty of any kind with respect to examinations, written assignments [completed] in or out of class, alteration of records, or illegal possession of current examinations or keys to examinations shall be considered cheating. . . Courtesy and honesty require that any ideas or materials borrowed from another must be fully acknowledged. Offering the work of another as one’s own is plagiarism. The subject matter of ideas thus taken from another may range from a few sentences or paragraphs to entire articles copied from books, periodicals, or the writing of other students. The offering of materials assembled or collected by others in the form of projects or collections without acknowledgment is also considered plagiarism. Any student who fails to give credit for ideas or materials taken from another is guilty of plagiarism."
A full description of university procedures and penalties in response to cheating and plagiarism can be found in the on-line Student Handbook in the Academic Integrity section.
Syllabus Statement Regarding Students with Disabilities
Here is the "official" statement from the office for student disabilities:
"In accordance with University policy, students with disabilities who need accommodations are expected to initiate a meeting with the professor immediately upon registering with Disability Services to discuss how accommodations included on the Special Accommodation Request form will be provided. Students with disabilities who may have special needs and have not requested support services should seek assistance through Disability Services."