Three steps for academic integrity
Step 1. How to identify plagiarism
Plagiarism can take a range of forms.
Plagiarism basically means presenting someone else’s work as your own without proper acknowledgement. It is a type of academic misconduct and a serious breach of academic integrity.
Plagiarism may also involve a breach of copyright. Copyright law requires that you acknowledge the source material that you use.
By knowing about the different forms of plagiarism you will be better equipped and know how to avoid it. The aim is to prepare and submit assessments characterised by good academic practice.
Some common examples of plagiarism
Copying
Copying all or parts of another person’s work without acknowledging the source. Paraphrasing or summarising another person’s work without acknowledging the source. Presenting another person’s ideas or concepts without acknowledging the source.
Self-plagiarism
This type of plagiarism means re-using or copying all or parts of your own work that has previously been submitted in another assessment without appropriately acknowledging that earlier assessment.
Collusion and group work
Collusion is working on an assessment with another person or a group and then deceptively:
copying from other members of the group
presenting the work of other members of the group as your own
contributing little or nothing to the work of the group and then presenting it as your equal contribution. Working in groups requires careful attention to good academic practice.
offering to complete another person’s assessment
paying someone to complete your assessment
Relying too heavily on another person’s work
This can happen by using too many quotes from other persons’ works so that the paragraph or assessment is simply a string of quotations. Even if the sources are acknowledged with quotation marks and proper references, this type of writing is not acceptable as it is not your own work.
Incorrect citation
Incorrect citation happens when you cite a source or add works to a bibliography that you have not read or consulted. It can also happen when you quote a source that has been discussed in a secondary source and you have read the secondary source only. The correct citation is to cite the secondary source.
Cheating
A student can cheat in an exam by copying from another student or by using unauthorised notes brought into an exam room on paper or some device. Buying essays from writing services on websites or other people is also cheating.
Acknowledgements
Contributions from the following websites are acknowledged:
‘Academic honesty and plagiarism’. University of Melbourne https:// http://academichonesty.unimelb.edu.au/
‘Academic integrity and plagiarism’. University of New South Wales https://student.unsw.edu.au/ plagiarism
‘Advice to students on good academic practice’. University of Technology Sydney http:// http://www.gsu.uts.edu.au/policies/academicpractice.html
Step 2. How to avoid plagiarism
Most incidents of plagiarism by students are accidental and due to a lack of knowledge about writing skills.
One way to avoid plagiarism is by correctly citing all the works and ideas of others that you have referred to in your assignment.
So how do you do this?
List your sources as you research your assignment
As you do your research list the sources as you go. Make it the first thing you do when you are gathering notes from a book, a journal article or material online. Record the correct citation for every work you consult.
If there is a particular idea or concept that you would like to use or quote in your assignment, then record the page number as well as the correct citation where the idea or concept is found.
Know how to cite your sources of information
Check the Student Handbook Style Guide or the Quick Reference Style Guide. These are both on the MOD. They will give you the correct citation style for the different types of works, such as journal article, website, blog or electronic book.
Avoid copying – use your own words
As you research your topic avoid just copying the words. Put the ideas into your own words. This will help you in understanding the idea and demonstrating that you have understood the idea.
However, you still need to correctly cite your source.
Know how to compile footnotes and bibliography
Check the Student Handbook Style Guide or the Quick Reference Style Guide. These are both on the MOD. They will give you the correct citation style for the different types of works, such as journal article, website, blog or electronic book.
Be aware that how you cite a work in a footnote is different to how you cite the work in the bibliography.
Be organised
Plan how long it will take you to complete an assignment.
If you are pushed for time it is easier to accidentally plagiarise and copy material from another source. You need time to develop your own argument and put it in your own words.
Use small blocks of time to do tasks such as locating library material. Use larger blocks of time for your thinking and writing time.
Check with others about how they plan their time.
Step 3. Developing effective academic skills
There is a range of guides on the MOD to help you develop good academic skills.
One-to-one or small group meetings can be arranged on any topic to assist you with academic skills, academic language and writing with your tutor.
Contact your tutor to arrange a time.