The Sociology Department prides itself in high ethical standards. Both students and faculty should understand that they are expected to exercise integrity both in teaching and learning (academic integrity) and in the research activities (research integrity). The entire university community - students, staff and faculty - are also expected to abide by the various university policies and codes of conduct that assure a safe work and learning environment that is just and free from harassment.
Academic Integrity
Procedures for dealing with academic offenses are outlined in the Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters. Academic offenses include, but are not limited to, knowingly:
- Forging or falsifying documents
- Using unauthorized aids or assistance in academic examinations, term tests, or in connection with any other form of academic work
- Impersonating another person at any academic examination, term test, or in connection with any other academic work
- Representing another’s ideas, expressions of ideas, or work as one's own
- Submitting, without the knowledge and approval of the instructor, any academic work for which credit has previously been obtained or is being sought in another course or program of study in the University, or elsewhere
- Submitting academic work containing concocted information
It is also considered an academic offense to assist or approve of a student's offense. In addition to student misbehaviour, those involved in instruction and grading should also be aware that it is an offense to knowingly:
- Approve any of the possible offences by students
- Evaluate an application for admission or transfer to a course or program of study by using any criterion that is not academically justified
- Evaluate a student’s academic work by using any criterion that does not relate to its merit, the time within it must be submitted, or the manner in which it is to be performed
- Forge or falsify an academic record
The Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters outlines the review process and possible sanctions in the case of academic offenses.
Research Integrity
In conducting research, we expect our faculty and students to abide by the best research practices honestly, accountably, openly and fairly, as outlined in the Tri-Agency Framework for Responsible Research. Research integrity requires that all members of the research enterprise commit to high standards in the following areas:
- Scholarly and scientific rigour in data collection, analysis and reporting
- Complete and accurate record keeping both for regulatory reasons and for verification of research results
- Accurate referencing of sources
- Appropriate credit of work done through authorship and/or acknowledgement as appropriate
- Respect for the rights of human research participants (by abiding with the human research ethics policy)
- Appropriate use of research funds for research activities
The Framework to Address Allegations of Research Misconduct provides specific examples of research misconduct and outlines the University of Toronto's procedures for reviewing complaints and sanctioning individuals found to have engaged in research misconduct.