Academic Integrity and Professional Identity: We Become What We Practice
Laura Patterson
Communications, School of Engineering, University of British Columbia
Abstract: In this chapter, I address the connection between academic integrity and professional identity among undergraduate students as upcoming professionals. Specifically, I examine writing as a form of participation in a discourse community and, ultimately, as preparation for professional practice. I will also explore the concept of agency and demonstrate how practicing academic integrity addresses the question of “who do you want to be?” as a professional, as well as allowing students to influence the current culture of their educational programs.
Keywords: Identity, agency, discourse communities, professional integrity
In the first exam season of 2020, after moving to online education due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our engineering department decided to raise students’ awareness of expectations surrounding academic integrity by having students sign an integrity pledge before each exam, acknowledging the rules and expectations and promising to abide by them. Of course, we knew that this would not solve all integrity issues that might arise in the challenges of online exams. One engineering student emailed me asking what the point of the document was, and admitted that they were wondering what is so wrong with collaborating on an exam when everyone else is doing it. I admired their bravery to ask me such direct questions about integrity and their confusion over what “counts” and what does not. When formulating a response, I reminded that student, and other students that issues of integrity, even seemingly small ones or ones that may never get caught, essentially come back to the inherent importance of integrity to one’s professional and personal identity. Even if no one else sees or knows—you do—and you create expectations of yourself from witnessing patterns in your own behavior.
