Syllabus Statement Examples

It is the University’s goal that learning experiences be as accessible as possible. If you anticipate or experience physical or academic barriers based on disability, contact the Office of Disability Services as soon as possible at 512.245.3451 to establish reasonable accommodations. Please be aware that the accessible table and chairs in this room should remain available for students who find that standard classroom seating is not usable.

 UPPS 07.11.04.05

As a first-generation faculty member, I understand being the first in your family to attend college can be challenging as you navigate additional obstacles in addition to being a first-year student. We will discuss resources that can help you, including student organizations, mentors and support services. Use them! I did. I am happy to help you connect to resources and services. You have made it this far. Keep going! 

Any student who faces challenges securing their food or housing and believes this may affect their performance in the course is urged to contact the Dean of Students for support. Furthermore, please notify me if you are comfortable in doing so. I will try to provide any resources or services I may be aware of. 

Bobcat Bounty is Texas State’s on campus food pantry and distributes food items every Thursday from 5-7 pm.

The Honor Code

1. All faculty, staff and students are responsible for supporting the principles of conscientiousness, respectfulness and honesty and demonstrating a commitment to the university’s Academic Honor Code. Plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty undermine the very purpose of the university and diminish the value of an education. Specific expectations for academic integrity and sanctions for academic dishonesty are outlined on the Honor Code Council website and in UPPS No. 07.10.01.

2. As members of a community dedicated to learning, inquiry and creation, the students, faculty and administration of our university live by the principles in this Honor Code. These principles require all members of this community to be conscientious, respectful and honest.
WE ARE CONSCIENTIOUS. We complete our work on time and make every effort to do it right. We come to class and meetings prepared and are willing to demonstrate it. We hold ourselves to doing what is required, embrace rigor and shun mediocrity, special requests and excuses.
WE ARE RESPECTFUL. We act civilly toward one another and we cooperate with each other. We will strive to create an environment in which people respect and listen to one another, speaking when appropriate, and permitting other people to participate and express their views.
WE ARE HONEST. We do our own work and are honest with one another in all matters. We understand how various acts of dishonesty, like plagiarizing, falsifying data and giving or receiving assistance to which one is not entitled, conflict as much with academic achievement as with the values of honesty and integrity.

The pledge for Students:

Students at our university recognize that, to ensure honest conduct, more is needed than an expectation of academic honesty, and we therefore adopt the practice of affixing the following pledge of honesty to the work we submit for evaluation: I pledge to uphold the principles of honesty and responsibility at our university.

3. Honor Code: All students are required to abide by the Texas State University Honor Code. The pledge for students states:

Students at our university recognize that, to insure honest conduct, more is needed than an expectation of academic honesty, and we therefore adopt the practice of affixing the following pledge of honesty to the work we submit for evaluation: I pledge to uphold the principles of honesty and responsibility at our university.

Mental health issues can diminish academic performance and may affect students’ ability to participate in activities. The Counseling Center at Texas State provides free and confidential mental health services on both its San Marcos and Round Rock campuses. For additional information, visit the Counseling Center’s website or call 512.245.2208. Additional resources are available at mindsmatter.vpsa.txstate.edu.

Students and faculty are full partners in fostering a classroom environment that is conducive to learning. Our actions should promote respect for both one another and the traditions of collegiate learning. This includes synchronous online sessions such as those conducted in Zoom or MS Teams, among other venues.

Students are expected to dress and act appropriately and professionally for all video and synchronous sessions. This includes creating videos for classes and participating in real-time video conferences or exams. It is expected that the video is turned on and you be in a private setting. We will not host meetings while you are driving or not in a confidential environment to respect your privacy and ensure your safety. It is also recommended that you use headphones with a microphone to minimize audio interference. Reasonable exceptions to this policy will be made for students who do not have access to a computer, camera, headphones, or internet access.

Texas State policy (PPS 4.02) states that disruptive behaviors will not be tolerated in any type of learning environment. Examples of such behaviors include but are not limited to: making loud noises, speaking without recognition, making personal threats or insults, eating or drinking in classrooms, sleeping during class, using electronic equipment prohibited by the instructor or disrespectful of other students, using inappropriate or vulgar language, or taking other actions that others might find offensive, demeaning, or disrespectful.

Any violations of this policy will be dealt with according to TXST policy UPPS No. 07.10.05, Student Behavior Assessment Team.

For further guidance, please see AA/PPS No. 02.03.02 and Section 2.02 of Texas State’s Code of Student Conduct.

“Academic Honesty: The Texas State University Honor Code states, “We do our work and are honest with one another in all matters. We understand how various acts of dishonesty, like plagiarizing, . . . conflict as much with academic achievement as with the values of honesty and integrity.”   

Plagiarizing is taking credit for work that is in any way not your own, including work generated by an artificial intelligence tool such as ChatGPT. Refer to the First-Year English Syllabus and EasyWriter for definitions and general policies concerning plagiarism. Any cases of verifiable plagiarism, whether deliberate or accidental, will result in a failing grade on the assignment and may result in a failing grade for the course. (Note: Peer review and consultation with your instructor or a counselor at the Writing Center do not constitute plagiarism and are encouraged.)” 

“Treat ChatGPT like a fellow student in this class: 

    Ask questions –do not copy the answers *

    Ask for help –do not copy the code 1-1

In summary, you should not copy entire solutions as that is considered cheating – see penalties in the next slides.

Think of it as asking a student for help or copying the entire solution.

If in doubt copy and paste your code/response to a search engine or ChatGPT and look for the exact matches.” 

You are welcome to use AI / LLMs to help you with ideas, content flow, proof-reading etc. If you copy and paste anything, you must put it in quotes and cite it as you would any other source. (Citation instructions here.) You will find that just using AI will not be sufficient to earn a passing grade for many reasons: it often includes only superficial information (doesn’t dig very deep into the subject matter), it can be repetitive, it can have hallucinations (i.e., it can get things wrong, so be sure to fact check everything), and it can give inaccurate or made-up sources. Be cautious if you choose to use AI / LLMs

There are many reliable places to get writing help, such as the campus Writing Center (free in person or online), Grammarly, your lab instructor, or your lab coordinator, which can all help you hone your writing skills by explaining why something is better written one way rather than another.

Using AI/LLMs like ChatGPT, LLaMa, etc. is appropriate in many cases, but not in this class (and is considered academic dishonesty, which results in a failing assignment & report to university).

    If AI/LLMs write answers for you, you are not practicing and improving your writing skills or your ability to understand and explain scientific concepts, which are course objectives and the reason for these specific writing assignments.

    If you ask AI/LLMs to re-write what you’ve already written, you are not learning to become a better writer because they don’t explain why something is better. 

The Texas State University Honor Code states, “We do our own work and are honest with one another in all matters. We understand how various acts of dishonesty, like plagiarizing, . . . conflict as much with academic achievement as with the values of honesty and integrity.”

Plagiarizing is submitting work that is in any way not your own. Any cases of verifiable plagiarism, whether deliberate or accidental, will result in a failing grade on the assignment and may result in a failing grade for English 1310. (Note: Peer review and consultation with your instructor or a counselor at SLAC do not constitute plagiarism and are encouraged.)

You are a college student. You are enrolled at a university! You have the skills to succeed. Even if you are not personally paying for college, you are paying with your youth. Don’t short change yourself by cheating.

Lastly, I am not frightened by the use of AI/ChatGPT as a tool, but still want you to acknowledge that any idea not created by you and used, and not cited and sourced is essentially still plagiarism--even if its an artificial intelligence and not a person from which you are stealing.

Don’t do it! Trust yourself. 

While AI & ChatGPT are intriguing and useful technological tools, they are not a replacement for original research, writing, or thought. Relying solely on this technology will result in plagiarism. To learn more about plagiarism and CHATGPT see the following: Plagiarism, AI & ChatGPT: Writing, Citations, & Plagiarism and Avoiding and Recognizing Plagiarism. 

AI/ChatGPT: AI tools such as ChatGPT are not allowed in the generation of any writing in this class. This is a class where both writing to learn and learning to write is important. There might be applications for AI in doing other research/writing tasks that we can explore together, such as mapping literature or other organizational/discovery tools, and we will discuss those tools during the semester. Using AI to generate writing will result in an honor code violation. This includes using AI to complete revisions on submitted work.

If you have questions about the ethics of something, or if you are confused about what would constitute plagiarism or academic dishonesty in this course, we can have a conversation and get those questions answered in a no judgment zone. I have heard people say it is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. Not in this class. The ethical stakes are high because as educational researchers, what we do does not just affect us in the classroom, it affects our research, and thus it affects others. Be open, honest, and true. 

Students should be familiar with the Texas State Academic Honor Code (https://studenthandbook.txst.edu/rules-and-policies/academic-honor-code.html) and know that the rules and student rights therein apply to this class. A copy of the Code’s passages on plagiarism and cheating are available in the Student Handbook or online at https://policies.txst.edu/university-policies/07-10-01.html. 

You must adhere to all the policies set forth in the Texas State Academic Honor Code. Any suspected violation of the honor code, no matter how slight, will result in the filing of an Honor Code Review Form and a hearing in front of the Honor Code Council. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about academic honesty in general and avoiding plagiarism and cheating in particular.

Definition of "AI"  
For the purposes of this course, "AI" refers to any generative artificial intelligence tool that can produce text, images, code, or other content based on prompts. This includes but is not limited to large language models (such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini/Bard), writing assistants with AI capabilities (such as Grammarly, Wordtune, QuillBot), and specialized AI applications designed for academic or creative work. If you are uncertain whether a specific tool qualifies as AI under this definition, please consult with me before using it for coursework.

AI and writing  
Students are strictly prohibited from using AI on all of the writing in this class, including online discussions, in-person discussions, reactions/responses to exhibitions or artworks, and/or group visiting lecturer proposal materials. These assignments are designed to strengthen your ability to develop a unique voice in spoken and written language. They ask you to synthesize close observation, emotional experience, knowledge of assigned readings, personal context, authentic reactions, and cultural specificity. Outsourcing this kind of writing to AI partially or completely is not allowed because it would deprive you of the opportunity to practice the critical viewing skills, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness that come from articulating your own informed reactions. Any suspected use of AI in writing assignments for this class will result in the filing of an Honor Code Review Form and a hearing in front of the Honor Code Council.

AI and exams  
Students are strictly prohibited from using AI on closed-book exams because they are designed to assess what the student alone has understood and retained. Any suspected use of AI on closed-book exams for this class will result in the filing of an Honor Code Review Form and a hearing in front of the Honor Code Council.

AI and open-book quizzes  
Students are discouraged from using AI on the open-book quizzes. When you work through these quizzes on your own, you strengthen your memory of important concepts and identify areas where you don’t know the information and need to do more studying. This prepares you for the closed-book exams and ensures you understand the structure and content of the course. If you use AI, you must test your own understanding before checking your answer with the computer. AI makes frequent errors. Double-check all responses.

AI as a study aid 
Students are permitted to use AI as a study aid while engaging with assigned materials and lectures. In an undergraduate learning environment, AI is most valuable when it helps you think better on your own, not when it thinks for you. Request step-by-step explanations from AI instead of cutting and pasting a study sheet or quiz question and cutting and pasting the response. Have it create questions to answer that help you gauge your knowledge of the material. AI makes frequent errors. Double-check all responses.

AI and sustainability 
AI has an invisible cost: it requires massive amounts of electricity. The responses you get from AI might seem free and instant to you, but they require powerful computers whose cooling systems consume thousands of gallons of water daily. Save AI for complex questions. Ask yourself, "Do I really need AI for this, or could I use a less energy-intensive resource like my assigned readings or class notes/materials?" Batch your questions instead of having many small AI conversations throughout the day. Be specific with prompts; clearer questions get more efficient answers, reducing the back-and-forth that consumes more energy. Download and save helpful responses rather than repeating questions.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about this course’s policy on AI use.

Students should be familiar with the Texas State Academic Honor Code (https://studenthandbook.txst.edu/rules-and-policies/academic-honor-code.html) and know that the rules and student rights therein apply to this class. A copy of the Code’s passages on plagiarism and cheating are available in the Student Handbook or online at https://policies.txst.edu/university-policies/07-10-01.html. 

You must adhere to all the policies set forth in the Texas State Academic Honor Code. Any suspected violation of the honor code, no matter how slight, will result in the filing of an Honor Code Review Form and a hearing in front of the Honor Code Council. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about academic honesty in general and avoiding plagiarism and cheating in particular.

Definition of "AI"    
For the purposes of this course, "AI" refers to any generative artificial intelligence tool that can produce text, images, code, or other content based on prompts. This includes but is not limited to large language models (such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini/Bard), writing assistants with AI capabilities (such as Grammarly, Wordtune, QuillBot), and specialized AI applications designed for academic or creative work. If you are uncertain whether a specific tool qualifies as AI under this definition, please consult with me before using it for coursework.

AI and short-form writing    
Students are strictly prohibited from using AI on online discussions and writing activities, in-class writing activities, reactions/responses to visual material, and peer reviews. These assignments are designed to strengthen your ability to develop a unique voice in spoken and written language. They ask you to synthesize close observation, emotional experience, knowledge of assigned readings, personal context, authentic reactions, and cultural specificity. Outsourcing this kind of writing to AI partially or completely is not allowed because it would deprive you of the opportunity to practice the critical viewing skills, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness that come from articulating your own informed reactions. Any suspected use of AI in short-form writing assignments for this class will result in the filing of an Honor Code Review Form and a hearing in front of the Honor Code Council.

AI and long-form writing   
Students are permitted to use AI on essays longer than 3 pages in the following capacities:

• Initiator - For overcoming writer's block and generating initial text
• Reviser - For suggesting revisions to content and structure
• Proofreader - For help with grammar, spelling, and syntax corrections
• Polisher - For improving transitions and flow
• Titler - For generating potential essay titles
• Referencer – For initial bibliographical suggestions of scholarly sources to strengthen a paper's academic foundation
• Evaluator - For providing a first round of constructive suggestions for general improvement (be sure to critically evaluate whether these suggestions are beneficial)

AI makes errors. Double-check all responses.

Students are strictly prohibited from using AI on essays longer than 3 pages to brainstorm topics, create outlines, conduct research and generate content. These are core competencies that undergraduates must develop and practice themselves to grow intellectually. Any suspected use of AI for brainstorming, outlining, researching and generating essay content will result in the filing of an Honor Code Review Form and a hearing in front of the Honor Code Council.

AI and exams  
Students are strictly prohibited from using AI on closed-book exams because they are designed to assess what the student alone has understood and retained. Any suspected use of AI on closed-book exams for this class will result in the filing of an Honor Code Review Form and a hearing in front of the Honor Code Council.

AI and open-book quizzes  
Students are discouraged from using AI on the open-book quizzes. When you work through these quizzes on your own, you strengthen your memory of important concepts and identify areas where you don’t know the information and need to do more studying. This prepares you for closed-book exams and ensures you understand the structure and content of the course. If you use AI, you must test your own understanding before checking your answer with the computer. AI makes errors. Double-check all responses.

AI as a study aid  
Students are permitted to use AI as a study aid while engaging with assigned materials and lectures. In an undergraduate learning environment, AI is most valuable when it helps you think better on your own, not when it thinks for you. Request step-by-step explanations from AI instead of cutting and pasting a study sheet or quiz question and cutting and pasting the response. Have it create questions to answer that help you gauge your knowledge of the material. AI frequent errors. Double-check all responses.

AI and sustainability 
AI has an invisible cost: it requires massive amounts of electricity. The responses you get from AI might seem free and instant to you, but they require powerful computers whose cooling systems consume thousands of gallons of water daily. Save AI for complex questions. Ask yourself, "Do I really need AI for this, or could I use a less energy-intensive resource like my assigned readings or class notes/materials?" Batch your questions instead of having many small AI conversations throughout the day. Be specific with prompts; clearer questions get more efficient answers, reducing the back-and-forth that consumes more energy. Download and save helpful responses rather than repeating questions.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about this course’s policy on AI use.