Introduction to the ethics mindset
Review the following examples and determine if the student behavior is ethical or unethical. Provide an
explanation to support your determination based on your understanding of the ethics mindset. As a
reminder, to have an ethics mindset, you must:
► Desire to do what is right
► Understand what is right and wrong
► Avoid doing what is wrong
► Commit to and do what is right
1. Your instructor has you take online group quizzes. You discuss each question and decide on an
answer as a group but each member of your group is required to submit their own quiz for grading.
Quizzes are graded immediately upon submission. One member of your group tells the others that he
will submit his quiz before the rest of the group and “take one for the team” and let the others know
what score he received.
2. Your roommate took the same class you are enrolled in during the previous semester. He gives you
his material from the class which includes graded assignments and quizzes, most which are used
unchanged from the previous semester. You use his graded material to check your answers before
you turn them in.
3. Your class allows you to take midterm exams during a three-day window. Your instructor explicitly
states on the exam that you should not discuss the exam with anyone until after the three-day window
has passed. You have lunch at the campus pizza restaurant with one of your classmates during the
three-day window. Both of you have taken the exam and were not sure if you answered one of the
problems correctly. Because you have both already taken the exam, you see no harm in discussing
the likely solutions to the problem.
4. Your instructor tells the class that she will permit you to use one 3×5 note card filled with materials of
your choice during the exam. You prepare your notes electronically and use as small a font as you
can possibility read. You print your notes and glue them onto the 3X5 card.
5. Some of your classmates tell you of a website that has images of exams and quizzes posted by
previous students for the class you are taking. You regularly visit the website to help you complete
your assignments and prepare for exams.
6. You are in your second semester of study at a new university after transferring from another
university. Your professor requires a five-page paper on a topic similar to one you prepared for a
class at your previous university. You decide, since you are under time pressure, to revise the paper
using the comments received when it was graded by your previous professor and submit it in your
current class. Alternatively, you decide to use much of the previous paper as you prepare the new
paper.
7. You ask a classmate who always does her homework in advance if you can see what she submitted
before you submit your homework.
8. Your university has a formal code of conduct for students. Your university requires that you
electronically agree to the code of conduct before you enroll. You clicked the box that you agree to
abide by the code of conduct and electronically sign the document. However, you didn’t read it and
you’re not sure what it requires.
9. You are two points away from the “A” grade cutoff. You meet with your professor to tell her about
some personal difficulties you encountered during the semester that affected your performance
hoping that she will award you the higher grade. While you did encounter the difficulties, you discuss
with your professor, you slightly exaggerate their severity.
10. Due to conditions of the pandemic, the instruction for your class is taught synchronous online. Part of
your grade is based on participation points. You always join the class so that you can receive the
participation points but regularly turn off your camera and work on homework assignments for other
classes and sometimes play video games during the class time.
11. You tell your group members that you will complete a portion of a case assignment before the next
time your group meets. You didn’t get your portion done before the meeting.
12. You encountered some problems outside of your control and you were late turning in a major
assignment. Even though you explained your circumstances, your professor disallowed the late
assignment pointing to the statement in the syllabus, “no late assignments will be accepted.” You feel
this is unfair and post to social media that your professor is the worst professor you have had and
doesn’t care about students. At the conclusion of the course, you give the professor the lowest
evaluation you can.
13. You find out the score of a student in your class that failed the midterm exam. In your social media
post celebrating your success, you mention the name and the score of the student with the failing
grade.
14. You are enrolled in a difficult and important class to your major. You find the material very challenging
and you don’t think the professor explains concepts well enough for you to understand. You regularly
post to your social media account that your professor shouldn’t be teaching if he can explain the
material presented in class in a way that is understandable and coherent to you.
15. You have a part time job at a small company to help you pay for college. You overhear management
discussing the financial difficulties the company faces. You think your job might be in jeopardy. You
post on LinkedIn that you are looking for a new position because it looks like the company you work
for will soon go out of business.
16. You are facing time pressure to turn a research paper in. Your paper doesn’t quite meet the
minimum word count. You decide to see what Wikipedia has to offer on your subject. You are pleased
to see that there is a brief discussion that is right on point with the subject of your paper. You copy
one small sentence and then augment the discussion in your own words to complete the assignment
and submit it on time.
17. Your professor tells your class that you can use a programable calculator on the upcoming exam as
long as it is cleared of all content before the exam begins. You have some programs and data stored
for another class but not for this class. You don’t see the need to clear the content before this exam.