AcademicIntegritySeminar.com

Below is a sample Academic Integrity Seminar. Our seminars normally consist of one novel or short story, one film, several online readings, and an optional interview (at the discretion of the referring institution). In addition to the standard format, we will add several readings and questions specifically selected for each individual student depending on his or her educational background and interests.

For more information about how the seminar works or how your school might take advantage of the services offered by AcademicIntegritySeminar.com, please see the Frequently Asked Questions page. Any further questions should be directed to inquiries@academicintegrityseminar.com.

Greetings!

Welcome to our academic integrity seminar. Please review the following instructions and notify me by e-mail if anything is unclear.

Most of the seminar is conducted online, but you are asked to see and respond to a film Shattered Glass (which should be available at most film rental locations):

In a single e-mail, please give concise, thoughtful answers to all of the questions below. Your answers should be appropriately numbered and placed in the body of your e-mail. No attachments, please, as they will be automatically deleted due to virus problems. Please see the Submission Checklist for more detailed submission instructions.

Please make reference to the readings in your answers. IMPORTANT: I will want to see, for example, that you've given careful thought to Alan Greenspan's views about the ''value added'' characteristic of business ethics.

There are no length requirements for your answers. You are, however, expected to state a clear point of view supported by thoughtful analysis. Please make reference to any pertinent assigned reading. You may also refer to readings of your own choice.

Please send completed seminar responses directly to me. Be sure to keep an electronic and a paper copy of your answers and my evaluation.

Grading usually takes about two weeks. Please send me a follow-up email if you don't receive a response within that time.

The main aim of the seminar is to encourage serious thought and reflection. It's not designed to be drudgery or a punishment. We welcome your comments and suggestions.

Sincerely,
Sarah Tutor
Academic Integrity Seminar Tutor
sarah.tutor@gmail.com

ASSIGNMENTS

You are assigned the following readings, film, and exercises:

READINGS

1. The Death of Ivan Ilyich, by Leo Tolstoy

http://www.geocities.com/short_stories_page/tolstoydeath.html
or
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/tolstoy/ivan.html

(This short book is also available at most libraries and bookstores).

2. Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan's 1999 Harvard University Commencement speech:

http://www.federalreserve.gov/boarddocs/speeches/1999/199906102.htm

3. The Sample Dialogue: A Case of Cheating, available at:

http://www.academicintegrityseminar.com/Readings/SampleDialogue.html

Note: Additional assigned readings and questions may be assigned by the tutor, and may be drawn from a variety of sources, including:

• Selected short readings:

http://www.academicintegrityseminar.com/Readings/ShortReadings.html

• The University of Maryland ''Help Henry'' exercise:

http://studentconduct.umd.edu/ethical/help.html

FILM

4. The film Shattered Glass:

http://www.shatteredglassmovie.com/index_flash.html

INTERVIEW

Note: The interview portion of the seminar is optional, at the discretion of the referring institution.

5. Please arrange (by advance appointment) a short interview with a faculty member or administrator identified by your tutor. The purpose of the interview is to:

• review the professional ethical code associated with the faculty member/administrator's field or discipline;

• discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the code (be sure to read the code in advance and be prepared to share your observations with the person being interviewed);

• explore whether such a code is necessary;

• discuss what the faculty member/administrator sees as the greatest ethical challenges in the field or discipline.

QUESTIONS

You are to answer the following questions after completing the assignments above. Please see the Submission Checklist when you are ready to submit your answers.

1. Is "business ethics" a contradiction in terms? Pay particular attention to Alan Greenspan's Harvard Commencement Speech. Please be sure to discuss this comment in his speech (explain what it means to you):

   "And beyond the personal sense of satisfaction, having a reputation for fair dealing is a profoundly practical virtue. We call it 'good will' in business and add it to our balance sheets."

2. The Declaration of Independence refers to the ''pursuit of happiness.'' Should the word ''pleasure'' be substituted for ''happiness''? Why or why not? Explain your answer.

3. Agree or disagree the following comment from a student found responsible for cheating. Be sure to explain your answer:

   Q. Is engaging in cheating fair to honest students?

   A. I don't think of it like that. I know some students do. But the attitude is generally, this is the way it is. When they work, a lot of these kids, either their fathers work in business, whatever they do,they get a shortcut--the other guy doesn't. That's the way I look at it. If I'm sharp enough to [find a shortcut] and [the other guy isn't], then that's the point of the whole thing.

4. Read Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyich. Respond to each of the following questions:

   1. Why did Ivan conclude his life ''was not the real thing''?

   2. Why did Ivan stop screaming? (Provide a specific quotation).

   3. What does Tolstoy have to say about the attractions of materialism? (Give an example from Ivan's life.)

5. Read the ''sample dialogue'' and answer the following questions:

   1. What do you find convincing in the dialogue? Why? What is unconvincing? Why?

   2. On a scale of 1-10 (10 being excellent), how would you rate the dialogue? Please explain your answer.

   3. Pick any one of the dean's answers or comments in the dialogue. Rewrite the answer or comment to reflect a better argument, from the dean's point of view.

6. Please answer the following questions after you have seen the film Shattered Glass:

   1. On a scale of 1-10 (10 being excellent), how do you rate the film? Explain your answer.

   2. In what ways were Stephen Glass (as depicted in the film) a "flawed person?" How could he have corrected or compensated for those flaws?

7. Questions pertinent to your assigned interview:

   1. What was the professional or ethical code associated with the faculty member/administrator's field or discipline?

   2. What are the greatest ethical challenges in the field or discipline?

   3. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the code?

8. How is a good life defined, and what is your plan to achieve it? Refer to assigned readings to support your answers.