The role of virtue ethics principles in academic integrity breach decision-making

Authors

Tracey Bretag, University of South AustraliaFollow
Margaret Green, University of WollongongFollow

RIS ID

91013

Publication Details

Bretag, T. & Green, M. (2014). The role of virtue ethics principles in academic integrity breach decision-making. Journal of Academic Ethics, 12 (3), 165-177.

Abstract

This paper contends that principles of virtue ethics have the potential to both supplement and complement academic integrity policy in the adjudication of undergraduate student academic integrity breaches. The paper uses elements of grounded theory to explore responses from 15 Academic Integrity Breach Decision Makers (AIBDMs) at an Australian university, and in particular, the process they use to determine outcomes for student breaches of academic integrity. The findings indicate that AIBDMs often use principles of virtue ethics to help provide nuanced judgement on sometimes complicated breaches of ethical behaviour. The findings demonstrate that many AIBDMs supplemented their knowledge of institutional academic integrity policy with a deep commitment to their own virtuous behaviour.