18 ways to avoid plagiarism – A quiz for Swinburne Students
At Swinburne University of Technology, both staff and students take responsibility for avoiding plagiarism. If you are a student, take the following quiz and see how well you have prepared yourself to avoid plagiarism (and to achieve your study goals!). Tick the boxes that apply to you:
1. I have enrolled in a course that suits my interests, strengths and aspirations
2. Where I have a choice, I have chosen subjects that are appropriate for my educational and language background
3. I have attended Orientation activities designed to help my academic preparation
4. Where one is available, I have enrolled in a transition program to help me adjust to study at Swinburne
5. I have made an appointment to talk to a language and academic skills advisor about my writing
6. I have read (and then re-read) the Swinburne Student Guide on plagiarism (‘Avoiding plagiarism and cheating - A guide for students at Swinburne University of Technology’) closely
11. I have attended all classes held in all my subjects
12. I have made and kept a commitment to focusing on my academic study this semester, including spending adequate time and effort on study
13. I have addressed any personal issues likely to distract me from study
14. I have asked the lecturer/tutor about anything related to plagiarism that I do not understand
15. I have started work on my assignments
16. I understand that I should not allow my work to be used by other students and that I should not use their work to guide mine
17. I am certain that I understand what constitutes plagiarism both in individual and group work
18. I am certain that I will avoid plagiarism while a student at Swinburne
Scoring: Give yourself one point for each box ticked
0-5: You are in serious and immediate danger of plagiarising. Seek help as soon as possible, starting with language and academic skills advice. Ensure you double check with teaching staff if you are still unsure about what not to do.
6-10: You are in strong danger of plagiarising. You know what to do to avoid plagiarising (see the list above for a start) – just do it!
11-15: You are in some danger of plagiarising. It’s possible you might plagiarise either through a lack of understanding, preparation, commitment, or hard work. Get some advice from your tutors, lecturers or Subject Convenors.
16-18: Congratulations! Not only are you extremely unlikely to plagiarise, you are likely to be an outstanding student with top results. Well done.
