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Spring 2020 Guidance for Faculty

April 2020 Email from the Honor Council: 

The combination of social dislocation, changes in grading, changes in assessment, increased stress, new learning environments and pedagogy, instability, and distance (both literal and figurative), has made this term challenging and disorienting for us all. As we approach the end of the term and final papers and/or assessments, we wanted to share suggestions for steps that faculty can take to support students in their learning and in upholding the Honor Code.

All Courses/ Assignments:

  • All courses should reinforce and update academic policies. As final paper and assessments come up, please inform students of the rules and expectations directly (by email and in class). It is important to reinforce both the rules and the purpose behind the rules. Please note that students watching on video often fast forward through early announcements to the “class.”
  • Please ask students to include the Honor Code affirmation (provided below) on all formal assessments for the remainder of the term; faculty are welcome to edit the affirmation for their course as they determine is appropriate. Student Affirmation: “I affirm my awareness of the standards of the Harvard College Honor Code.”
  • Please include specific language that states both that the Honor Code applies to all take home exams and that your exam is a “formal assessment and that academic integrity on exams of any form is a fundamental academic standard that the College takes very seriously.”
  • Please let students know how they can go about requesting an extension, and please encourage students to reach out to you or to their Resident Dean if unexpected circumstances make it difficult for them to complete an assignment on time.

As always, the Office of Academic Integrity and Student Conduct is available to consult on concerns that come up or to discuss ways of adapting assessments in advance.

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For more specific guidance on take-home exams, problem sets, or papers, please see below:

Take-home Exams:

  • Please include specific language that states both that the Honor Code applies to all take home exams and that your exam is a “formal assessment and that academic integrity on exams of any form is a fundamental academic standard that the College takes very seriously.”
  • Clarify and reinforce the collaboration policy on any exam. If there is no collaboration, state that as clearly as possible in writing and orally to students. Please review with teaching staff to make sure that all course staff administer the policy equally.
  • Be as specific as possible in instructions to students about what resources they are expected to use or not to use in taking the exam.
  • Repeat messages (by email or otherwise) about collaboration and other policies each day the exam is open. If extensions are given, messages should continue.
  • If there is a difference between the collaboration policy for the exam and other portions of the course, please let students know the difference directly. Students often (mis)apply the policy for problem sets to exams, especially when the exams seem similar to problems sets.
  • If possible, please have course staff available regularly during the period of the exam to answer questions and address technical challenges.

Problem Sets

  • Reinforce the collaboration policy as the semester enters the final week.
  • Please clarify expectations for collaboration on Zoom, Skype, Canvas or other platforms.
  • Clarify what can be discussed and what is not allowed? What materials can be exchanged? What not?
  • Clarify that students cannot email or text answers to the problems, even to check work, unless it is clearly allowed under the collaboration policy.

Papers and Writing Assignments

  • Please make sure that students are aware of the Harvard Guide to Using Sources: https://usingsources.fas.harvard.edu/ and remind them that expectations around citation, proper paraphrasing, and quotation of sources remain unchanged.
  • Remind students, especially if they are doing much of their research online, that careful organization when taking notes on sources will help them avoid unintentional plagiarism.
  • Consider “scaffolding” writing assignments and asking students to produce an outline, annotated bibliography, or other preliminary work in advance of the paper’s deadline.
  • Remind students that the Writing Center is holding Zoom appointments: https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/

As always, the Office of Academic Integrity and Student Conduct is available to consult on concerns that come up or to discuss ways of adapting assessments in advance.