Student Guide to Plagiarism
This guide is here to provide you with advice, ideas and resources to help avoid plagiarism while studying at Swinburne College.
This information has been simplified to give you a better understanding of the plagiarism policy. For the latest version of any of these policies always check the Policy and Procedures Directory.
What is plagiarism?
Plagiarism is the action or practice of taking and submitting or presenting the thoughts, writing or other work of someone else as though it is your own work. Plagiarism includes any of the following, without full and appropriate acknowledgement to the original source(s):
- the use of the whole or part of a computer program written by another person
- the use in essays or other assessable work, of the whole or part of a written work from any source including, but not limited to a book, journal, newspaper article, set of lecture notes, current or past student’s work, any other person’s work, a website or database
- the paraphrasing of another’s work
- the use of musical composition, audio visual, graphic, photographic models
- the use of realia. That is, objects, insignia, artefacts, costumes, models and the like.
Plagiarism also includes the preparation or production and submission or presentation of assignments or other work in conjunction with another person or other people when that work should be your own independent work. This remains plagiarism whether or not it is with the knowledge or consent of the other person or people.
Swinburne encourages its students to talk to staff, fellow students and other people who may be able to contribute to a student’s academic work. However, when independent assignment is required, submitted or presented, it must be the student’s own work.
Enabling plagiarism contributes to plagiarism and therefore will be treated as a form of plagiarism. This means allowing or otherwise assisting another student to copy or otherwise plagiarise work by, for example, allowing access to a draft or completed assignment or other work.
Categories of plagiarism
1. Using other students’ work (Individual assignments)
It is plagiarism when students use the ideas, words or work of other students and submit these in an assessment task as their own. For example:
- handing in an individual assignment that was written in part or whole by another student, past or current; or
- using the same resources, quotes, paraphrases, summaries, notes, and ideas as another student; or
- asking or paying a ‘tutor’, friend or some other person to write the assignment
2. Using other people’s published work (Individual assignments)
Students plagiarise or cheat when using words, ideas or work from published sources and submit these as their own. This can include material taken from the following sources without acknowledgment:
- the internet, a book, chapter, article, database, pamphlet, brochure or any other source.
It is also considered plagiarism when students include material in their work without letting the reader know where it came from.
3. Not contributing fairly to group work
Plagiarising or cheating occurs when a student claims an equal share of the marks but:
- contributes less than an equal share of the assignment than their student colleagues;
- does not turn up to group meetings and/or contribute in group meetings;
- does not undertake their share of the work with the appropriate level of care and attention; or
- does not complete their section.
4. Cheating in exams/tests
Cheating in exams or tests is also an act of plagiarism. This includes:
- copying from other students;
- taking unauthorised or inappropriate aids or materials into an exam;
- accessing internet files in practical computing and other exams;
- writing notes in dictionaries and other allowed/authorised texts
(sometimes in another language to avoid detection); - stealing a copy of an exam prior to sitting for it;
- letting someone else sit an exam for you;
- using communication signals with another student, including hand signals;
- borrowing or lending equipment or material between students.
Consequences of plagiarism
1. Plagiarism or cheating in exams
When apparent plagiarism or cheating is observed in an examination room the student will be permitted to finish the exam paper, although any material which is believed to be unauthorised will be removed from the student as soon as it is detected.
The matter will be reported by the examiner/invigilator to the main teacher, and:
- an informal meeting may be held between the student and teacher
- a formal meeting may proceed between the student, teacher and Program Leader. An observer may be present (as nominated by the Director of Studies). The matter will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis
- evidence may be required in a written report by the examiner/invigilator.
2. Plagiarism or cheating in assignments
Individual assignments
If considered minor:
- The teacher will speak to the student and warn them of the consequences of plagiarism.
- Re-submission on a date determined by the teacher (usually within 2 days) will be allowed.
If deemed major:
- The matter may be dealt with by the teacher and, if required, a Program Leader
- A formal meeting may be held between the student, teacher and Program Leader to discuss how to proceed. An observer may be present.
- A student may be required to undertake further assessment and in most cases will receive the minimum pass mark.
Group assignments
If it has been confirmed that a student has not contributed equally to a group assignment, the teacher will reduce the marks on a case-by-case basis.
Reassessment of student work
- If a student is dissatisfied with an aspect of the outcome of their assessed work, they should:
i) contact the teacher directly involved with the assessed work
ii) if it cannot be resolved, a Program Leader should be contacted.
- An assessment may be reviewed in an informal process. During this review process, the teacher may take action seen as appropriate to resolve the matter. If the matter cannot be resolved informally by a teacher or Program Leader, then the matter may proceed to a formal process
- A formal meeting may be held between the appropriate leader/convenor. An observer may be present.