Academic integrity is a reflection of personal growth in becoming a scholar-practitioner. Personal growth as a scholar-practitioner is inextricably linked to higher ethical principles rather than an academic prerequisite. Academic integrity aims in culturing the essence of continuous and sound discipline, respect, credibility and maturity within scholars (Laureate Education, 2012). It is a rigorous scholarly training meant to tone the visionary of honesty and transparency in the academic field and beyond.

An academic discipline is a thoughtful process and not one submerged in the intentional lapse of judgment. Therefore, a scholar-practitioner is expected to respect the work that other scholars accomplished; and in deep appreciation to their hard work, show acknowledgment (reference/citation) in a manner instituted by the laureate academic standards (Laureate Education, 2010; Laureate Education, 2012; Walden University Writing Center, 2011). Plagiarism is an act of dishonesty and disrespect to the community of academic integrity. It is, in essence, the use intellectual property without authorization. As a result, the use of someone else’s intellectual material without proper acknowledgement is an act of plagiarism (Laureate Education, 2010; Laureate Education, 2012; Walden University Writing Center, 2011).

A scholarly writing must be structured in a scholarly tone with appropriate citation and paraphrasing. Even when others’ work are paraphrased, a proper citation/reference is required. Proper citation in a scholarly writing is the holy-grail in advancing and maintaining a high academic research/scholarly standards. Proper citations and references are the trails through which researchers could navigate to new inventions/innovations, clarity, and affirm or refute, previously asserted claims or prior arts (Laureate Education, 2010; Laureate Education, 2012; Walden University Writing Center, 2011). Also, scholarly writing is a part of an evidence-based research in fostering transparency and credibility within an academic or industrial environment that admires good reputations.

A scholarly writing is different from an opinion. The common rule of thumb in scholarly writing is avoiding the integration of one’s bias into a scholarly writing style. Scholarly writing must not just include personal experience but independently vetted information, compelling, and convincing evidence (Laureate Education, 2010). It must contain a clear, specific, meaningful, impartial, thorough information and follows academic layout or style (Laureate Education, 2010; Laureate Education, 2012; Walden University Writing Center, 2011). In contrast, an opinion may not require any vetted evidence for its expression. Such opinion involves sharing one’s feeling and idea without proof of concept on its accuracy or validity.

For a scholarly writing style, the expectation for accuracy is high. Therefore, scholar-petitioners bear the burden of the “proof of concept” to their claims and are, therefore, accountable for their work (Laureate Education, 2010; Laureate Education, 2012; Walden University Writing Center, 2011). A scholar’s work is a carbon chain reaction to prior arts and a reference to future arts, a work to admire or critic. Within a scholarly community, reputation is the building block for credible citations and references. When scholar-practitioners establish and maintain high standards of reputation free of plagiarism, fraud or ghost-writing, the aptitude becomes a credible endorsement for honesty and lifetime scholarly achievement among their peers. In contrast, without substantiated demonstration of scholarly writing tone, scholar-practitioners would not capture the attention of their peer or other scholars; hence, the audience is minimized to a non-scholar community (Laureate Education, 2010; Laureate Education, 2012; Walden University Writing Center, 2011). Also, an excellent scholarly idea structured in a non-scholarly manner will lose its intellectual authority and credits because of the lack of supporting or convincing evidence.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Introduction to scholarly writing: Creating a scholarly style [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author. Retrieved from https://class. waldenu.edu/ webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id= 2_1&ur l=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_3465265_1%26url%3D

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012). Introduction to scholarly writing: Plagiarism and academic integrity [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_3465265_1%26url%3D

Walden University Writing Center. (Producer). (2011). Walden University Turnitin and academic integrity online tutorial [Multimedia]. Retrieved from http://writingcenter. waldenu.edu/819.htm