Teaching Academic Integrity as Good Historical Practice

This chapter examines why and how to teach academic integrity in history courses. It argues that issues of academic integrity are both important and multifaceted, but also shrouded in ambiguities that can subvert the best intentions of historical educators. Academic integrity is central to historical practice, and therefore should be taught as part of history courses. It should be presented with an openness to changes that extend beyond the historical discipline and notably in response to the decolonization of the academy. A historically informed and formative approach is a good way forward. Instruction should highlight the positive value of academic integrity within the ethical dynamics of historical practice, draw upon authentic historical illustrations, be based on techniques informed by the broader scholarship of teaching and learning generally and Indigenous academic integrity specifically, and model good practices on the part of the instructor. Teaching academic integrity as historical practice will enrich students’ understanding of history, its ethics, and how to engage responsibly with historical sources.