Academic Integrity Team

The Academic Integrity Team examines how undergraduate students interpret and respond to issues of academic integrity within science courses. The team's current study focuses on Sara Brownell’s Spring 2025 Animal Physiology course, where an uptick in academic dishonesty was followed by a noticeable class-wide shift after Sara delivered an emotional mid-semester conversation about integrity. To understand this change, the team interviewed 98 students about the perceived impact of that moment and its influence on their learning behaviors.

Using qualitative coding and thematic analysis, team members analyze these interviews to uncover how students define academic dishonesty, how their perceptions of the instructor and course environment evolved, and what factors shape their decisions around integrity. This work contributes to a broader understanding of academic integrity by identifying student-driven insights that help refine teaching practices, course design, and academic policies.

Through this ongoing research, the Academic Integrity Team generates evidence-based recommendations that promote academic integrity in undergraduate education.