Masters in Information Systems: Ethics and Professionalism Report

This report, submitted for a Master's in Information Systems, analyzes a case study involving academic dishonesty and professional ethics. The student reflects on the ACS code of ethics and the importance of honesty and integrity. The report addresses a scenario where students are cheating and discusses the ethical responsibility of the student to report the unfair practice, even at the cost of losing friendships. It emphasizes the importance of acting in the public interest and upholding professional standards. The report references the ACS code of ethics and professional conduct, highlighting the duty to report unethical behavior to protect the integrity of the academic environment and the profession. The student concludes that upholding ethical principles is paramount, even when it leads to difficult personal consequences.

Running head: MASTERS IN INFORMATION IN SYSTEMS
Masters in Information in Systems: Portfolio 3
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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MASTERS IN INFORMATION IN SYSTEMS
Portfolio 3
The ACS code of ethics states that it is essential to be honest, forthright and impartial to a
particular situation. This code of ethics states that it is the duty of an individual to loyally serve
the community (Acs.org.au, 2018). On the other hand honesty is one of the key features of the
ACS code of professional conduct. It is the responsibility of the professional to act on public
interest in order to enhance the quality of life. In accordance to the ACS code of ethics, one of
the important needs of professional development is that an individual must encourage his/her
colleagues to continue their professional development by maintaining the honesty in the
professional development.
In this situation I will tell the lecturer about the use of unfair means for getting good
marks. This is because cheating is an unfair means of receiving good marks. Hiring ghost writers
to write an assignment is definitely unfair and therefore, I would at first try to tell the lecturer
about the issue. I may not take the names of my friends as it might result in end of their academic
career which I do not want. I would not want to lose my friends but if I inform the lecturer about
the unfair practice which I am aware of, there is a huge possibility that I will lose my friends.
However, according to the ACS code of professional conduct, it is my responsibility to act on
public interest and maintain honesty in my professional career (Acs.org.au, 2018). A group of
students getting good marks by cheating is definitely unfair to the students who are working hard
and writing their assignments to get good marks. The action of getting good marks by doing
nothing is not ethically in correct. Therefore I would inform my lecturer about the same. I would
tell the lecturer about the unfair practice as the lecturer is investing a considerable amount of
time on the students in order to teach them. The code of ethics indicates that a person should
accept and acknowledge his/her responsibilities towards his/her work (Acs.org.au, 2018). It is

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MASTERS IN INFORMATION IN SYSTEMS
therefore my responsibility to inform the lecturer about the unfair practices that is undertaken by
a group of students, even if that results in loss of friendship. Even on the cost of losing my
friends I am ready to take this step since it is right.

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MASTERS IN INFORMATION IN SYSTEMS
References
Acs.org.au. (2018). [online] Available at: https://www.acs.org.au/content/dam/acs/acs-
documents/Code-of-Ethics.pdf [Accessed 10 May 2018].
Acs.org.au. (2018). [online] Available at: https://www.acs.org.au/content/dam/acs/acs-
documents/ACS%20Code-of-Professional-Conduct_v2.1.pdf [Accessed 10 May 2018].