Academic Skills: Importance, Integrity, and Implications of Academic Misconduct

This article discusses the importance of academic skills, academic integrity, and the implications of academic misconduct. It explores the role of universities and institutions in promoting ethical practices. The article also includes a reflection report on designing an assignment game and the skills learned during the academic year.

Academic Skills

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Section 1......................................................................................................................................3
a. Academic integrity in higher education..................................................................................3
b. Importance of academic integrity............................................................................................4
c. Implications of Academic misconduct....................................................................................5
Section 2......................................................................................................................................6
a. Reflection report on designing an assignment game...............................................................6
b. Reflection of skills learned......................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
The use of academic skills in the higher education has recently
developed. It is devised to help students in the journey of the higher
education. It is designed to help the students in developing learning skills
(Assiter, 2017). Academic integrity is based on ethical workings and are
established around common values of the human like honesty, trust,
responsibilities and so on. The universities are focused on maintaining the
academic integrity and the purpose they instruct teachers and mentors to
behave in the ethical manner as they are the role model for the students in
their academic career. Failure to obey ethical integrity results in the
academic misconduct by the students (Bretag, 2020). In the report described
the importance of the academic integrity and implications of academic
misconduct. Further, a reflection report is prepared on the outcomes of the
game formulation for learning purpose.
MAIN BODY
Section 1.
a. Academic integrity in higher education
Nowadays the universities are more concerned for the practice of the
academic integrity in the assignments that are provided by the universities
to the students for the purpose of learning. Higher education institutions are
not protected from cheating, corruption and unethical behaviours. Some of
the administration insisted on the fact that easily available content on the
internet is the source of the unethical practices like plagiarism. Universities
demands for more academic integrity as to improve the quality of the higher
education as students if not follow the academic integrity it tends to
deteriorate the university's image. Academic integrity is maintained by
following the moral principles of truth, fairness, research, responsibility,
honesty, etc. (Dawson, P., 2020). When students try to get a degree or
passing a examination as fast as possible they tend to perform unethical
activities like plagiarism, cheating, frauds, bribing and lose the quality

learning and education. Dishonesty and misconduct in the field of academic
learning and education is increasing and to overcome this issue moral
education, self-esteem and respect for others is required. To increase the
ethical practices new technologies are developed and use of it becomes
common. The teachings provided by the universities to the students are
limited to academic values and no moral education are incorporated among
them. Academic integrity helps in improving the quality of academic
education. Student by conducting research and self-driven approach learn
new things that helps them to grow ethically.
b. Importance of academic integrity
Academic integrity is an important factor in the academic learning and
higher education. Integrity means being honest and a believing in the moral
principals. The sense of trusting other people is prominent in the world.
People tend to believe in the person who follows strong moral value and
being true to other (Assiter, A. ed., 2017). It will help in generating trust in
the peoples mind. It is found out that there is no absolute way to counter
academic misconduct and abuse. An ideal guideline for the evaluation of the
academic policies has not yet been developed. It provoke the students to
perform unethical and unlawful practices to gain unfair advantage over those
who use fair and honest approach to complete the task. In the sophisticated
academic world, the fundamental role of the academic integrity is to
effectively harness the moral and ethical values in the minds of the students
and a creation of the competitive societies.
Academic Integrity helps in development of students
Students goes to the universities to learn and upgrade their
knowledge. It is the important stage of life of the students that provide them
a path to grow and being successful in their life. It is important for the
students not to perform non-ethical practices. The following of it may results
in the failure in the universities and may loss of the degree they are
pursuing. It is essential for the students to provide themselves the chance of

being honest in their life and develop moral values that helps in the ethically
completion of the assignments and tasks that leads them to successful life.
Academic Integrity helps the universities to flourish
Universities are the important places in the world. They are establish
to provide education and academic knowledge to the students who en-rolls
into the universities. It is place where development of human minds is
cultivated. For the purpose of it the faculty and the professors who impart
teachings to the students provide academic assignments and tasks that use
for the purpose of developing learnings increase in the moral values by
completion of those assignments, performing research in the true and honest
way. That helps in the quality of the teachings impart by the universities to
the students which in turn also increases the reputation of the universities as
well.
Academic Integrity helps the society
Societies are the place of origin of the moral values and ethical
practices that the human beings started learning from the initial levels.
Developed and educated societies impart great amount of learnings and
knowledge that helps in the natural upbringing and development of the
humans. Humans enlist their children to the schools and universities so that
they gain academic knowledge (Cavaliere and et.al, 2020). Its the role of the
schools and academies to impart relevant teachings that helps the students
to integrate ethical knowledge that will helps in the development of the
students. With them the societies are also begin to thrive as the students are
the part of the societies.
c. Implications of Academic misconduct
A misconduct is said to be an improper, unlawful and inappropriate
behaviour by the person and when this habit align with the academics it
becomes the unethical practices performed to achieve marks and for
passing the exams. New techniques and technologies are developed and
emerged to encourage the improper and unethical practices like creating

false data, manipulation of the information and replicate author's work
practices (Biagioli and et.al 2020). Many of the practices are defined to be as
unethical and illegal. For example, production of an artificially generated
report, which provide its occupant an unfair advantage against the honest
and fair working candidate. The use of practices like falsification, plagiarism
and fabrication of the evidence are prominent in higher education. To cope
up with the problem of academic misconduct institutions are more promoting
group or collaborative assignments. It will help the students to engage more
with each other and share their knowledge to complete the tasks assign by
the universities. In addition the academic misconducts leads to the
implications and consequences that are as follows:
The student will be asked to do over again the assignments.
The instructor may be assign failing grade to the students.
Cancellation of the participation of the students in the assignment activities.
Disciplinary action by the universities or filing a letter of misconduct.
Probationary leave to the student.
Suspension from the universities
Legal action may be taken against the students.
Section 2.
a. Reflection report on designing an assignment game
Reflection reporting helps in the critical analysis of the students on a
particular subject. Students becomes confused on how to maintain academic
integrity by avoiding the unethical practices and misconduct (Hendricks,
C.C., 2017). To check the mental behaviour and ethical practices a game of
crossword is design. In this the students were asked to device a strategy to
think of the types of words that are difficult to pronounce but are commonly
used in day to day life. I was assign the task to create a ten words puzzle
that contain complex words that are not easy to pronounce but are generally
part of the daily speech. I started with the process of brain-storming and able

to find some of the words. But gradually my mind stop thinking and I have to
take help from my friends and later from the internet.
Steps taken to design a crossword game
Creation of the theme: I had to think for an attractive and a creative
theme that provide a great visual satisfaction and drive the students to play
the game.
Symmetrical design: I had to think about the number of blocks in a grid
and choose the symmetry of the grid. Should I use 15x15 squares standard
gird or design a my own special type of grid.
Selection of the words: I had to select at-least thirty words that are not
easily pronounced. And to align them in the grid that provide hint to the next
word.
No repetition of the words: I have to make sure that the words I choose
are not repetitive in nature and are unique.
Clues: At the end I have to provide hints for the crosswords that helps the
students to put their brain to work.
Difficulties in producing the game
Theme creation is not simple choosing of the appropriate design that
match the words that I had to use for producing the assignment game. As
only thirty words to be included in the game I had to think which block space
I have to utilise for the words and which blocks I have to leave blank.
Symmetry of the grid is equally important task as a standard 15x15 grid
contains 225 numbers of blocks and excessive empty blocks will going to
ruin my Grid design. The greatest difficulty is to find appropriate words for
the game that meets the assignment requirements and also to write clues
that define the meaning and usage of these words (Satell, G., 2017). To
overcome these issues I had to use help from my peers and from the
internet. The task becomes easy later on as great amount of information is
available to compile and produce a game.

b. Reflection of skills learned
During the academic year students are made aware and accustomed
to learning, writing, researching, analysing databases and collaborative
working styles. The students are experiencing loads of academic teachings
and knowledge during the academic years. The evaluation of the whole year
highlights the key skills that are learned by me are as follows: In the
academic year I have learnt that communication is important part of the
academic development. It helps in the transfer of information that is crucial.
In the collaborative group assignments the students are work together as a
team to solve a problem and complete a task. I have learned collaboration,
time management and analysis skills. Along with it the analytical and
problem solving skills are also embedded in me. The analytical skills help me
to perform complex problems easily and the problem solving skills that I
gained during the year helped me to do extensive research so that I am able
to find the appropriate resources and information quickly (Hopkins and Reid,
2018). In the production of the game of assignment we had to design a
crossword puzzle. I have to go through the task of designing, and performing
research for the selection of the appropriate words that fulfil the
requirements of the task. I had to depend upon the problem solving skill to
find out the suitable words for the assignment game. Crossword game is a
grid game that is solved by using creativity of the mind of the person.
Analysis of the game development process helps me to understand the
whole procedure to produce and design the assignment game.
CONCLUSION
Universities and institutions plays a vital role in the progress of the
students life. Faculties and instructors performs the role of mentors in the
students life. It is the duty of the mentors to monitor and control the use of
unethical practices among the students. The universities and institutions
must provide a guidance to the mentors and students on how to embed
moral values in the life (Trynus, O., 2020). Academic misconduct is a serious

issue that is increasing with the time. The use of false data, plagiarism,
fabrication of the evidences and changing author's writings will results in the
failing of the assignments, cancellation of assignments, disciplinary and legal
actions against the students. Forming moral values like honesty, truth,
responsibility, honour in the students must be given priorities over the
impart of the academic learning. As misconduct results in the inappropriate
and unlawful behaviour of the students that not only ruins the students
academic career but also damage the reputation of the universities and
institutions.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Assiter, A. ed., 2017. Transferable skills in higher education. Routledge.
Bretag, T. ed., 2020. A research agenda for academic integrity. Edward Elgar
Publishing.
Dawson, P., 2020. Defending assessment security in a digital world:
preventing e-cheating and supporting academic integrity in higher
education. Routledge.
Biagioli and et.al, 2020. Gaming the metrics: Misconduct and manipulation in
academic research. Mit Press.
Cavaliere and et.al, 2020. Academic Misconduct and Plagiarism: Case
Studies from Universities Around the World. Lexington Books.
Hendricks, C.C., 2017. Improving schools through action research: A
reflective practice approach. Pearson. One Lake Street, Upper Saddle
River, New Jersey 07458.
Satell, G., 2017. Mapping innovation: a playbook for navigating a disruptive
age. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
Hopkins, D. and Reid, T., 2018. The Academic Skills Handbook: Your Guide to
Success in Writing, Thinking and Communicating at University. Sage.
Macaulay, M., 2018. Ethics and integrity. In The Palgrave Handbook of Public
Administration and Management in Europe (pp. 279-289). Palgrave
Macmillan, London.
Trynus, O., 2020. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: CHALLENGES OF
MODERNITY. UNESCO Chair Journal" Lifelong Professional Education in
the XXI Century", (1), pp.69-72.
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