Academic Integrity and Academic Misconduct

1. Academic Integrity and Academic Misconduct Presenter’s name Presenter’s title Department name (edit in View > Header and Footer...)

2. Why is Griffith committed to academic integrity? For the following reasons: • Because if everyone cheats and plagiarises the University’s reputation is affected • Because Griffith wants to protect the standard of its awards • Because Griffith wants to ensure that students receive due credit for their work • Because Griffith wants to protect the interests of students who do not cheat • Because Griffith wants to provide students with guidance on best practice in studying and learning • Because Griffith wants to educate students about intellectual property and legitimate access to it • Because Griffith wants to ensure that its graduates have appropriate competencies Department name (edit in View > Header and Footer...)

3. Definitions of academic integrity and misconduct Perceptions and definitions vary between cultures and academic disciplines. Broadly, academic misconduct is a breach of academic integrity and covers: • all fraudulent behaviour (including misrepresentation) • cheating • fabrication of results • plagiarism • collusion • duplication Department name (edit in View > Header and Footer...)

4. Academic Integrity at Griffith Griffith takes academic integrity very seriously The most common breach of academic integrity is plagiarism, therefore, you need to be aware of the following: • What constitutes plagiarism • Where you can get help if you don’t understand how to avoid plagiarism Department name (edit in View > Header and Footer...)

5. Examples of plagiarism Plagiarism includes but is not limited to the following: • When an assignment is not all your own work • When you have not acknowledged the work of others i.e. you have not named your sources or materials • When you recycle an assignment that has been previously submitted for another course • When you let another student copy from your assignment • When you copy the work of another student and submit it as your own Department name (edit in View > Header and Footer...)

6. How can you avoid plagiarism? Be aware of the following strategies: • Select quotes carefully and use minimally • Words and phrases copied directly from a source must be indicated as a quote, unless you have completely paraphrased them • When you use someone else’s ideas, give them credit by citing them correctly • Learn how to paraphrase and reference correctly • Make sure you use the correct citation style that is required by your school or discipline • Finally, always identify where your information came from. We do check! Department name (edit in View > Header and Footer...)

7. Text-matching software You should be aware that the University uses text-matching software called SafeAssign to safeguard the quality of student learning and to assist with the detection of plagiarism. This software may be available for you to use by submitting a draft, in order to check your assignment prior to submission. Your lecturer will advise you if this is the case. Some students think that if the percentage of text-matching in a SafeAssign report is below a certain percentage figure that it is ok – this is not the case and each report needs to be interpreted individually by academic staff. Department name (edit in View > Header and Footer...)

8. Breaches of academic integrity Breaches will be given a level of seriousness according to a matrix that includes a number of factors for consideration. These factors are: • Type and extent of the misconduct • Experience and intent of the student Breaches are divided into Tier 1 or Tier 2 breaches: • Tier 1 breaches and some Tier 2 breaches will be dealt with by the Course Convenor • The more serious Tier 2 breaches will be dealt with by the Chair of the Faculty Assessment Board Department name (edit in View > Header and Footer...)

9. A tier one offence could be: A first year student who: Does not understand how to reference correctly This student has plagiarised inadvertently due to lack of understanding A tier 2 offence could be: A student who is in a second semester program and has completed instruction in avoiding plagiarism and who: Has plagiarised a significant portion of their assessment OR a second or third year student who: Has repeatedly cheated or Where the plagiarism is deliberate or planned or The student has purchased or stolen another person’s work Examples of Tier 1 and Tier 2 breaches Department name (edit in View > Header and Footer...)

10. University process for dealing with breach • Firstly, you will receive an official letter via your student email from your Course Convenor or the Chair of the Assessment Board advising you of the concern • You will be given an opportunity to explain within 14 days • A decision will be made regarding appropriate action by the decision-maker i.e. either the Course Convenor or the Chair of the Assessment Board Department name (edit in View > Header and Footer...)

11. Possible responses to a tier 1 breach These are set out in the Student Academic Misconduct Policy and include the following: • An official warning • Requirement to seek study skills • Requirement to undertake an online tutorial on academic integrity • Receipt of a mark for the portion of the assessment that is unaffected by the academic misconduct • Permission to resubmit the assessment item to achieve a mark no higher than a “pass” mark • Requirement to undertake a supplementary assessment Department name (edit in View > Header and Footer...)

12. Possible responses to a tier 2 breach The tier 2 decision maker may choose one or more of the tier 1 responses and/or one or more tier 2 responses. Tier 2 responses include: • Requirement to exclude the affected work from an honours/postgraduate coursework thesis or dissertation • Requirement for student to rewrite an honours/postgraduate coursework thesis or dissertation within a specified timeframe • Receipt of a nil mark for the assessment item affected by the academic misconduct • Receipt of a fail grade for the course in which the academic misconduct occurred • Exclusion from the University Department name (edit in View > Header and Footer...)

13. Finalising the process • All final decisions will be centrally recorded on the Academic Integrity Management system which is separate from your student record • Previous breaches will be taken into account when determining a response to a subsequent breach • You will receive a letter via your student email confirming the outcome and advising you of your right if any to appeal Department name (edit in View > Header and Footer...)

14. What can students do to ensure academic integrity in their work • Talk to your tutors or lecturers about their requirements • Ensure that you are not attempting a heavier student load than you are able to commit to • Check what information your school provides on referencing • Go to classes on academic writing and referencing, in particular, learn how to paraphrase correctly • Ensure that you understand what is required in a group assignment • Use text-matching software (if available) to check your work Finally, don’t become a statistic on the Academic Integrity Management System. Look at the student website on academic integrity in the portal for more information http://intranet.griffith.edu.au/student-academic-integrity Department name (edit in View > Header and Footer...)