Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the compre¬hensiveness, quality and completeness of honor codes, as ethical artifacts, used by 1862 Land-Grant Universi¬ties. This was achieved by taking the codes and compar¬ing them against one another and evaluating whether they meet the qualifications set forth by Turner and Beemsterboer (2003). Narrative document analysis of the honor codes provided on the institution’s webpages was the primary methodology for this qualitative explor¬atory study. The findings showed, generally, that uni¬versities did not provide the necessary inclusions which qualified an honor code as being effective. No distinct pattern emerged in regards to the necessary elements laid out by Turner and Beemsterboer (2003), although it is important to note that a small portion of the sample far exceeded the norms of the majority. An even smaller percentage went so far as to distinguish the differences in the values stated by the university mission and those proposed in the honor code. The results of this study prompted many recommendations. The most prominent being a call for increased education on honor codes and the policies surrounding them. 

 

Keywords: honor codes, ethics, student learning