Responsible officer: Vice-Chancellor

Designated officer: Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Council approval: C05/116, 6 December 2005

Last amended:

Related policies:

• Code of Conduct
• Copyright Policy
• Freedom of Information Policy
• Intellectual Property Policy
• Privacy Plan
• Records Management Policy
• Student Conduct and Discipline Policy
• Student Grievance Policy

1. Overview

The University pursues international standards in teaching and research. Academic integrity, honesty, and a respect for knowledge and truth are fundamental values in the pursuit of these standards. Dishonest practices such as plagiarism and academic fraud including collusion, cheating and falsification of data, (called academic misconduct) contravene these values and debase the quality of learning for the individual, for others enrolled in the course or program and for the University as a whole.

Good scholarship requires the use of and building on the ideas of others. Academic integrity requires that this use must be appropriately acknowledged. The acknowledgement of the contributions of others also demonstrates the extent to which the student has consulted appropriate references and source materials during preparation of their assessment item. This is central to research-based learning and to academic assessment, demonstrating how well the student has taken into account work already done in the relevant field.

This policy informs students and staff about the institutional standards of academic behaviour expected of students in learning, teaching and research, and reinforces the importance of integrity and honesty in an academic environment.

The Policy should be read in conjunction with the Student Conduct and Discipline Policy which provides for action to be taken on academic dishonesty by the Dean of Faculty (Section 5.3) and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Section 6) and an appeal process (Section 9).

2. Scope of policy

2.1 This policy applies to acts of academic dishonesty allegedly committed by domestic, international award, international study abroad, and 'visiting' students enrolled at the University of the Sunshine Coast and those students enrolled in institutions covered by 2.2 below.

2.2 This policy shall apply to all institutions, domestic and international, where USC has a partnership agreement involving the teaching of USC programs and courses and where USC is responsible for assessment.

3. Policy

3.1 Definitions

Academic dishonesty means any dishonest academic practices such as plagiarism and academic fraud, including collusion, cheating and falsification of data.

Academic fraud means making a false representation to gain an unjust advantage. Without limiting the generality of this definition, it may include:

• falsification of data
• using a substitute to undertake, in full or part, an examination or other assessment item
• reusing one's own work that has previously been submitted and counted towards another course, without permission
• making contact with another person, contrary to instructions, during an examination
• bringing material into an examination or other assessment item other than such as may be specified for that assessment item
• making use of computer software and other device(s) during an examination or other assessment item other than such as may be specified for that assessment item

Academic misconduct occurs when a student cheats, acts dishonestly or unfairly or assists another person to cheat or act dishonestly or unfairly, or attempts to do so, at or in connection with an examination, test, assignment, dissertation, thesis or other means of academic assessment conducted by or on behalf of the University, or in an attempt to gain academic credit, plagiarises the work of another.

Due acknowledgement means referencing appropriate to the discipline, including applying quote marks and footnote references where words, phrases and expressions of others are repeated in the assessment item, and a list of references appended to the assessment item.

Group work means a formally established assessment item required to be conducted by a number of students working together, resulting in a single assessment item or number of associated pieces of assessment. Group work is not considered collusion.

Investigator means a person appointed by a Dean or Faculty Learning and Teaching Coordinator, the Research Degrees Committee or Faculty Research Coordinator (for post-graduate research students) or the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, to investigate an allegation of academic misconduct.

Plagiarism means the presentation of the thoughts, words, phrases or works of another as one's own. Without limiting the generality of this definition, it may include:

• copying or paraphrasing material from any source without due acknowledgment
• using another's expression without using quote marks and footnotes (even where the author may appear in the general list of references)
• using another's ideas without due acknowledgment
• working with others without permission and presenting the resulting work as though it was completed independently (also known as collusion).

Plagiarism can be intentional or unintentional:

• intentional plagiarism is an act arising from an intention to deceive and is treated as misconduct
• unintentional plagiarism is an act arising from a student's lack of knowledge or understanding of the concept of plagiarism arising from a failure to educate students on proper academic conventions and expectations of the discipline, or from a student's lack of preparation, skill or care

Responsible person means a University staff member who may have grounds to suspect academic misconduct, or who are authorised to take action on suspected academic misconduct.

3.2 Policy statement

3.2.1 The University of the Sunshine Coast adopts as policy the proposition that the nature of university study and research requires a thorough understanding by staff and students of the concepts of academic misconduct:

• honesty and integrity in university study and research is a highly venerated tradition with academics, hence academic misconduct is to be treated very seriously
• intellectual integrity requires that the work of others be duly attributed where it is quoted or used as a source of ideas or paraphrasing
• the passing of the work of others as one's own is fraudulent and constitutes plagiarism

3.2.2 Academic dishonesty in learning, teaching or research, including plagiarism, academic fraud, collusion and falsification of data, is unacceptable in the University.

3.2.3 Academic dishonesty in the preparation or presentation of any assessable work including research will be regarded as academic misconduct, and the University will take disciplinary action.

3.2.4 The University will keep a record of students found guilty of academic misconduct in a Student Academic Conduct Register to which relevant University staff including the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Deans, and Faculty Learning and Teaching Coordinators shall have access, when suspected cases of academic dishonesty are being investigated. The University will comply with the Queensland Government Information Standard 42 - Information Privacy (IS42), known as Queensland Privacy, for the responsible collection, storage, use and disclosure of personal information.

3.2.5 Information about academic misconduct, strategies to avoid it and penalties for academic misconduct will be included in:

• orientation programs conducted by faculties or schools
• material made available to students at the commencement of a courses eg by course coordinators
• material made available to students at the commencement of a program or when assessment items are being discussed eg by program coordinators and academic staff, and
• learning support activities that are embedded across the entire program or offered in conjunction with it, will systematically review academic misconduct issues

3.2.6 Unintentional plagiarism as a result of a lack of preparation, skill or care may be considered poor academic performance rather than academic dishonesty and will be treated as such. However, where a judgement is made that unintentional plagiarism has occurred, the student's name and details of the unintentional plagiarism may be placed on the Student Academic Conduct Register.

3.2.7 Where the University is satisfied that unintentional plagiarism is the result of a lack of knowledge or understanding arising from a failure to educate students on proper academic conventions and expectations of the discipline, no action will be taken against the student.

3.3 Rights and responsibilities of the University

3.3.1 The University will take the following actions under this policy including:

• publicising the Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Policy and Procedures to all staff and students
• ensuring that the policy and procedures are implemented across all faculties
• providing guidelines to students on ways to avoid unintentional plagiarism
• providing guidelines to staff on how to detect and how to minimise opportunities for academic fraud and plagiarism, and
• providing students with a process to answer allegations and/or to appeal decisions arising from academic fraud and plagiarism

3.3.2 The University will seek to identify all acts of academic dishonesty. Staff are expected to be critical of student work, looking for indicators of academic dishonesty (eg plagiarism and cheating) that may be shown through changes in writing style, syntax or other inconsistencies. Where appropriate and available, electronic detection devices should be used to assist the staff member in this task.

3.3.3 The University will put in place processes that deal with the events that arise from detection of alleged academic dishonesty in a fair and equitable manner. This includes:

• defining the roles played by Responsible Persons (ie academic staff, Deans, Faculty Learning and Teaching Coordinators, Faculty Research Coordinators, Invigilators, Chief Invigilators, Student Administration staff, Supervisors and Thesis Examiners) in Guidelines to this Policy; and
• providing professional development for staff on these matters

3.3.4 Deans are responsible for the implementation of the University's policy, procedures and guidelines in each Faculty provided that a student accused of breach of this policy may refer the allegation directly to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor.

3.3.5 The Dean may delegate to the Faculty Learning and Teaching Coordinator or Faculty Research Coordinator (for post-graduate research students), the process of investigating and recommending a penalty for academic misconduct.

3.3.6 The responsibility for determining a penalty for academic misconduct under the Student Conduct and Discipline Policy lies with the Dean, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor or the Student Discipline Appeals Committee.

3.3.7 The Dean and the Office of Learning, Teaching and Research will ensure that Faculty staff are provided with appropriate training and induction on student academic integrity and plagiarism.

3.4 Rights and responsibilities of University Teaching and Research staff

3.4.1 Academic staff have a responsibility to:

• ensure that assessment items are designed in a way that discourages academic misconduct including:
  • changing assessment items so that previous semesters' submissions cannot be resubmitted
  • constructing assessment items so as to favour the student submitting their own work rather than that of others, and consulting instructional designers for advice in this area
  • clearly indicating where individual work is required and where group or collaborative work is required or permitted
  • accounting for the needs of students of non-English speaking backgrounds

3.4.2 Course coordinators have a responsibility to:

• advise staff and students of academic expectations and what constitutes plagiarism and fraud in that discipline
• inform students if an electronic detection device is in use
• inform students of appropriate referencing techniques and provide clear examples of what is acceptable
• set appropriate assessment related to the course outcomes, and vary assignments and questions from semester to semester; and
• set appropriate conditions for group work which distinguish between group work and individual work and provide students with group work guidelines appropriate to that discipline

3.5 Rights and responsibilities of students

3.5.1 Students have a responsibility to:

• read, understand and respect the Student Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Policy and Procedures of the University
• avoid all acts which could be considered breaches of the Student Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Policy
• seek assistance about appropriate referencing from support services including the Library and Student Services
• include a fully completed Assessment Item Cover Sheet with every assessment item including if the submission is made electronically. For electronic submissions the cover sheet will be also be electronic, and
• be clear about assessment conditions and understand that electronic detection devices may be used

3.5.2 Students have a right to:

• be provided with guidelines on academic referencing styles required in each course or discipline
• be provided with guidelines relating to group work
• expect a consistent interpretation of the policy and application of the procedure for academic integrity and plagiarism across the University, and
• be given an opportunity to respond to any allegations and proposed disciplinary action

Related documents: Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Procedures, Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Guidelines

The University of Newcastle Policy on Student Academic Integrity June 2004 and the Edith Cowan University Rule 40 Academic Misconduct, November 2003, are gratefully acknowledged.