Work Effectively in Groups

In all of your work in your study group, it is essential to maintain academic integrity. Academic integrity is a fundamental value of the University of Guelph.

If you do not maintain academic integrity, you are at risk of being charged with academic misconduct, which can lead to failure of a course, suspension from the university, or expulsion.

How do you maintain academic integrity in your study group? These activities are usually considered to uphold academic integrity:

• discussing course content together
• brainstorming ideas for essays, research assignments, or exam questions
• sharing personal notes
• sharing self-made study aids
• creating study aids, such as cue cards, condensed study notes, or concept maps, together in your group
• working on practice problems together, as long as the problems are not submitted to be marked

In study groups, be aware of the following types of academic misconduct:

• working on marked assignments in groups, unless your instructor explicitly, and in written form, allows groups to work on and submit assignments together
• writing online exams or quizzes together, unless your instructor explicitly, and in written form, allows groups to write quizzes or exams together
• sharing copyrighted material; this could include materials from another course or study materials that others have created
• sharing course materials (other than your own notes) publicly on the internet without your instructor's permission
• accessing copies of exams or assignments without permission
• letting other students copy your work and claim it as their own
• remaining silent when others commit academic misconduct

Inform yourself about academic integrity, academic misconduct, and plagiarism by taking the Academic Integrity tutorial. Talk to your instructor if you have concerns or questions, or if you believe someone else has committed academic misconduct.