Academic Integrity

Phillips Theological Seminary Academic Misconduct Policy (from the 2025-2026 Academic Handbook)

Integrity is a fundamental principle of academic life. Those who have the privilege of being members of the Phillips Seminary community have an obligation to observe the highest standards of honesty, as well as a right to expect the same standards of all others. Academic misconduct is contrary to the purposes and functions of the Seminary.

Administrators, staff members, or students who have knowledge of acts of possible misconduct will report this information to the faculty member concerned or the VPAA and Dean. Such reports will be investigated according to the following policy.

Any form of Academic Misconduct will be subject to the policies found in the Academic Handbook.

Academic misconduct includes such unacceptable behavior as false representations in application materials or other reports, plagiarism, falsification of records, unauthorized possession of examinations, intimidation, bribery, submitting the same paper in two or more different courses, and cheating. It also includes assisting others in the acts mentioned above, as well as attempts to engage in such acts.

Utilizing text created by any Artificial intelligence app/tool (i.e., using output generated by putting a prompt into an AI tool) in an assignment (e.g., papers, discussion forums, or any other written assignment) is considered Academic Misconduct unless the professor authorizes the use of Al for a specific assignment.
 

Plagiarism is an attempt to claim ideas or writings that belong to another as one's work without proper citation. This includes presenting direct quotes from a source without both a footnote and indication within the paper of the quoted material (i.e., quotation marks, block quote formatting, etc.). Paraphrasing, summarizing, using another author’s ideas, and extensive rewriting of another’s work without a proper citation is also plagiarism.
 

Cheating includes using unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic examination or exercise. Submitting a paper for more than one class will not be allowed, unless special permission is secured from both professors. Any paper, or major part thereof, or other work turned in for two courses will not meet the requirements and will result in a "0" (F) for that assignment in either or both courses.