The Connection between Academic and Professional Integrity: A Review

Abstract

The relationship between academic writing and academic integrity are inseparable as far as academic and professional ethics are concerned. Students especially at the university and college level, as well as writers, in general, ought to acknowledge and appreciate the ideas and perspectives of other people that they incorporate in their works. Academic integrity calls for one’s show of commitment through honesty and upholding moral behaviors within the writing or educational setting; the lack of it, therefore, is termed as plagiarism. Recklessly in this regard pertains to the absence of what fully constitutes plagiarism such as directly copy-pasting other people’s work without citing them or using their work but citing others instead, especially among international scholars or amateurs in the academic or writing setting. Plagiarism is considered a grave offense in the writing sector. Often students who are found to have plagiarized the thoughts, opinions, and ideas of other people, without recognition face disciplinary actions including suspension and course failure. Ethics and moral principles dictate most of not every aspect of human lives. It is though socially established that ethics and ethical principles considerably enable humans to co-exist and live harmoniously with each other. To ensure and sustain these morals and ethics, there are bodies, organizations, and institutions that are established and given the mandate to oversee and enforce as well instill coherent ethical obligations in their practice. Maintaining professionalism and upholding professional ethics can be challenging. Overly there are specific activities such as oath-taking that is viewed as a way of stamping authority and instilling professionalism among different professionals. Although this may be of help, the largest percentage of professionalism springs from an individual’s commitment and sacrifice towards doing the right thing and upholding professional ethics. However, this does not disregard the essence of social systems that is the mandated institutions. Professional ethics is well defined in the nursing profession but significantly changing as a result of internal and external forces that are prevalent in the ever-changing nursing profession. Therefore, a dire need for increasing professional ethics among students and academic fraternity.