March 2026
The Importance of Documentation
Identifying a potential academic integrity concern is only the first step in the academic integrity process at Syracuse University. Faculty documentation gathering is important because the material provided is what determines the validity of a case. The Academic Integrity Office is not an investigation office but rather an educational office and a case processing unit. This means that the team does not search for additional evidence beyond what is provided during the process; this is the foundation on which any case is built.
The standard used by the Academic Integrity Office when determining responsibility is preponderance of evidence. Preponderance of evidence is commonly used as the evidentiary standard at colleges and universities. It means that it must be proven “more likely than not” that a student’s behavior constituted a violation.
To demonstrate a violation of academic integrity, there are many types of documentation a faculty could provide. One example of evidence is a meeting summary. It is always recommended that faculty meet with students to discuss academic integrity concerns prior to submitting an incident report. Another example of documentation, especially in cases of unauthorized artificial intelligence use, is comparative work. This is specifically pertinent if there is an obvious shift in language, syntax, sentence structure, or tone, as if the student’s papers were written by different individuals. Other examples include source material, including course lectures, that conflict with the student’s output, email communication in which a student admits to violating policy, screen recordings when permitted, and Google Doc history if used. Firsthand observation should be provided in the incident narrative. This is where faculty describe exactly what they saw, if a violation occurred during class.
The Academic Integrity team created a Faculty Submission Guide, which can be found on the AIO website, with more specific information about types of documentation as well as a step-by-step guide on how to submit a case.
After receiving a case, the Academic Integrity Office may reach out to reporting instructors requesting clarification on materials or missing documentation. Receiving these materials is key to moving a case forward. AIO policy states, “If an instructor reports a suspected violation but fails to provide related evidence within five business days of the initial report, the Academic Integrity Coordinator…will determine whether to move the case forward without complete evidence or to withdraw the case.” This means that documentation, including the course syllabus, is necessary and must be provided in a timely manner for a case to move forward.
If you have any academic integrity questions or concerns, please contact the Academic Integrity Office any time by emailing aio@syr.edu or calling 315-443-5412. Our office is at 550 Bird Library if you would like to stop by for a confidential consultation; we recommend scheduling your appointment in advance.
Kate Marzen
Director of Academic Integrity
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