Collaboration vs. Collusion
Academic Integrity at Syracuse University is a team effort. Graduate student workers, practicum students, and the leadership team regularly collaborate to create resources to help the community better understand academic integrity. This spring, Assistant Director Ashley Jimenez and practicum student Thomas Kehoe co-authored a worksheet that brings clarity to a grey area for students: the line between collaboration and collusion. To review the Academic Integrity Office’s new “Collaboration vs. Collusion” document, please click here. This worksheet outlines key differences between collaboration and collusion and provides common collusion examples to help students avoid those behaviors. The document ends with a timely reminder: when unsure about assignment instructions, ask your professor.
Merriam-Webster defines collaborating as, “to work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor.” Collusion, in contrast, is defined as a “secret agreement or cooperation especially for an illegal or deceitful purpose,” (Merriam-Webster, 2026). The two definitions are distinct, but applying them to real student work, especially if it appears to overlap, can be tricky. This is especially true when assignment instructions aren’t clear.
One common example seen by the Academic Integrity Office is syllabus language or assignment instructions that state, “students may work together to discuss ideas, but all submitted work must be their own.” This kind of language can leave students genuinely confused about appropriate and inappropriate conduct. If a group spends hours reviewing material together and there’s only one right answer, won’t their submissions naturally look similar? Is rewording the same conclusion in different language enough to pass the “independent work” threshold? When instructions are unclear, students spend more time trying to interpret the rules than engaging in learning, regardless of whether it is independent or collaborative.
To avoid confusion, the Academic Integrity Office recommends that faculty provide clear, explicit collaboration guidelines for every in-class and take-home assignment. A few examples of clear instructions include:
- “You are required to complete this assignment independently. This means you may not consult current peers, students who previously took this course, tutors, content experts, the internet, or AI tools. You may utilize your textbook, class lecture notes, and other course-specific materials for reference.”
- “You may complete this assignment with one peer from this class. If you choose to work together, you must disclose who you worked with. Disclosing this information resolves concerns about collusion if your answers overlap or appear similar. Overlapping answers without a collaboration disclosure may require an additional validation of learning.”
Many thanks to Ashley and Thomas for their thoughtful work. Resources like these are only possible because of the hard work and collaboration of team members like them. If you would like to further discuss clear collaboration guidelines or academic integrity at Syracuse, please contact the AIO 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 private consultation; we recommend scheduling your appointment in advance.
Kate Marzen
Director of Academic Integrity
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References:
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Collaborate. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved September 14, 2026, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collaborate
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Collusion. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved September 14, 2026, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collusion