Act Ethically
Lazarus, K n.d., Barn Owl, Unsplash, viewed 20 November 2018, <https://unsplash.com/photos/sPZXWoWHqX8>
This is Module 5 in the Search, Evaluate, Integrate, Reference and Act Ethically (SEIRA) Owl modules. These modules are about scholarship in using sources. That is, how and where to find the best sources; how to integrate them convincingly and correctly in your writing and how to approach academic activities with ethics and integrity.
In the profession of engineering, acknowledging your sources (who wrote them; where they came from) is a way to show respect. Engineers, regardless of their discipline specialty, are expected to attribute authorship to designs, plans, site maps, research and commercial documentation throughout their career. This enables them to find the original source of research, designs and data in their day-to-day work. It also protects the livelihoods of colleagues.
'Authorship' is everything in the Western academic tradition. Information, research findings and ideas (the article itself, and all that is referred to within) need to be attributed to the 'originator'. This happens for both moral and commercial reasons. In other words, it is the 'right' thing to do and it directs the reader to those 'experts' participating in a 'conversation' around a particular topic.
Three steps toward acting ethically at university
Watch the films
Watch the filmsThe three films presented here provide some insights from a senior engineer and former graduate of UniSA, Brad Bown; our academic integrity officers and engineering lecturers, Mark Ellis and Alex Hariz and our two students Kim and Nathan. Our engineers, lecturers and students will provide insights around the following questions:
- Video 1: What have ethics got to do with engineering? (2:34 minutes)
- Video 2: Why is ethical use of sources important? How do you show respect when using sources? (4:35 minutes)
- Video 3: What is an academic integrity breach? What the is role of the Academic Integrity Officer? (2:46 minutes)
Video 1 (Takes a couple of seconds to load)
Video 2 (Takes a couple of seconds to load)
Video 3 (Takes a couple of seconds to load)
Skim the resources
Skim the resources
Complete the quiz questions to test your understanding about ethics and academic integrity in Engineering. The quiz is also designed to get you thinking about how to avoid a breach in academic integrity, along with some of the tools available to help you avoid plagiarism. There are a total of seven multiple choice, true or false and 'drag and drop' questions. You will receive immediate feedback on your responses. Good luck!