ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
Types of Academic Misconduct
Common Penalties
When you Receive an Allegation
Responding to an Allegation
Contacting Student Assist
TYPES OF ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
Academic misconduct refers to conduct by a student that is dishonest or unfair in connection with any work submitted for assessment. Some examples of academic misconduct include (but are not limited to):
- Plagiarism – copying another person’s work and submitting it as your own
- Self-plagiarism – re-submitting work you have submitted in the past
- Unauthorised material - bringing in unauthorised material or devices into the examination venue
- Contract cheating - contracting another person to do the work for you, purchasing work from another source and/ or allowing or contracting another person to edit and substantially change your work
- Collusion - Where students act together in relation to the preparation or presentation of any assessed item of work in a manner that is dishonest or unfair.
- Using Generative-AI Softeare - using software such as ChatGPT, Bard, DALL-E 2, when the Unit Outline specifies that it is not allowed, or not declaring and documenting it correctly when it is allowed.
Read Curtin's Checklist to help prevent plagiarism in your work
Quick Assist Video: What is Plagiarism?
Quick Assist Video: What is Collusion?
Common Penalties
Most academic misconduct cases receive a penalty of a reduction in marks up to a Nil grade for that assessment or an ANN (fail for the unit).
If your penalty is a Reduced Grade or Reduced Maximum Mark:
General Misconduct
General Misconduct is when a student breaks Commonwealth or State laws, or University regulations. Some examples of general misconduct include (but are not limited to):
- interfering with the freedom of other people
- disrupting teaching
- disrupting meetings, ceremonies or other official events
- violence
- trespassing
- damage to property
- misuse of computers
- bullying
- discrimination
- harassment
If you have been accused of General Misconduct, please get in touch with us as soon as possible.
Application of a Reduced grade or Reduced max mark:
Case Study 1 – REDUCED MARK
Kelly is undertaking an assessment that has a total value of 20 marks.
The academic stops marking half way through when they believe they have identified plagiarism. The inquiry is undertaken and the SDP has determined a penalty of 25% mark reduction.
The academic finalises marking (including those marks that may have been identified in the rubric for poor paraphrasing) and Kelly receives a final grade of 12.5/20 BEFORE the SDP penalty is awarded.
25% of 20 (total mark for the assessment) = 5 marks.
12.5 - 5 = 7.5/20 final mark for that assessment.
Case Study 2 – MAXIMUM GRADE
Tom is undertaking an assessment that has a total value of 40 marks.
The marker stops marking half way through when they believe they have identified plagiarism. The inquiry is undertaken and the SDP has determined a penalty of re-submit with a max grade of 80%.
Following the SDP instructions to complete compulsory educative action (i.e. do Writing with integrity, and read the Academic Integrity guide for students) Tom re-submits the same assignment with the academic integrity issues corrected. The marker then marks the improved assignment, and Tom receives a final grade of 24/40 (equivalent to 60%), on face value.
The marker then needs to apply the SDP penalty, which is re-submit with a max grade of 80%.
80% of 24 = 19.2. So the final mark for the assignment is 19.2.
Penalties are assessed by taking into consideration the extent and nature of the wrongdoing, the experience of the student and the intent to be dishonest.
For more information on penalties and procedures, you can visit Curtin’s website “What Is Academic Misconduct” or Statute No. 10 - Student Disciplinary Statute
If you have been accussed of General Misconduct, please get in touch with us as soon as possible.
When you receive an allegation
Quick Assist Video: You've Been Accused of Academic Misconduct
1. Assessment is flagged and marking is paused
When an assessment is flagged for investigation, the marking for the work is paused.
2. Student notified via email
Students accused of academic misconduct are sent an email from the SDAO (Student Discipline and Appeals Officer) informing them of the allegation.
3. Student sends a response
Students are given an opportunity to respond to the allegation, providing evidence where possible.
Students do not have to submit a response to the allegation, but it is in your best interest to do so.
Responses must be sent within 7 days from the date that the notification is sent.
It's very important that you write a proper letter that is supported by relevant evidence.
Sending one line with “I did not plagiarise” is not sufficient.
Get in touch with Student Assist if you are unsure of what to write in your response and we can advise you.
4. University consider the response
The University considers the response your have submitted.
5. Decision is made
If the University determines that academic misconduct has occurred, an email will be sent to the student stating the penalties given.
There will be a wait time of 2 - 3 weeks before you receive a response (longer if it is between semesters).
6. Student has a chance to appeal
Students can appeal either the determination of academic misconduct or the penalty or both.
Appeals must be submitted within 14 days of notification of the outcome.
You may only appeal based on a “question of law”. In other words, was the process followed correctly? Examples include:
- Procedural Fairness (e.g. a piece of evidence was not considered, you were not given a right to respond to the allegations, the Authorised Officer did not act in accordance with the Rules);
- When making a decision in a matter, irrelevant considerations were taken into account;
- Failure to take into account considerations in making a decision; or
- No evidence or material to support the decision.
If you have no grounds to appeal and inform Student Conduct that you waive your right of appeal, the case can be finalised in a shorter period of time.
Get in touch with Student Assist if you are unsure of what to write in your appeal and we can advise you.
7. University makes a determination
An email will be sent to student on the outcome of the appeal.
This decision is final.
There will be a wait time of 2 - 3 weeks before you receive a response (longer if it is between semesters).
8. Marking is resumed
Once a determination has been made, the marking of the assessment is resumed at this point.
Responding to the Allegation
It's very important that you write a proper letter that is supported by relevant evidence.
Sending one line with “I did not plagiarise” is not sufficient.
Forward your allegation
Forward the email you received about the misconduct allegation to Student Assist on student.assist@guild.curtin.edu.au.
We will need to view the Allegation/Determination Letter as well as all the other documents attached to the allegation.
Send us your draft response
Send us your draft response that you would like us to review.
Your draft should contain:
- If you agree with the allegation, admit it. Honesty is the best policy. Explain your circumstances and why you did it.
- If it has been alleged that you committed Collusion: If you did not collude, your response will need to highlight where exactly you obtained your answers from. If you did collude, explain why you did it. Explain your circumstances at the time of the assessment.
- If it has been alleged that you Allowed, or contracted with, other people and/or organisations to undertake academic work on your behalf: If the work was your own work, your response will need to highlight where exactly you obtained your answers from. If you shared your work with a classmate, explain why. In reviewing the Turnitin report, is this more of a case of lack of paraphrasing or inadequate referencing? If yes, highlight this.
- If it has been alleged that your assessment was submitted without adequate referencing, paraphrasing or other acknowledgement: Review the Turnitin report. Are the areas that have been highlighted in the Turnitin report areas that you have incorrectly referenced?
- If it has been alleged that you used Generative-AI software: If you did not use Generative-AI software, please send us draft versions of your assessment, if possible. Your response will need to detail how and where you got the answers in your assessment – explain your working process in detail. If you did use Generative-AI software, explain why you did it.
In all the circumstances above, break your response into sections and explain each area of concern.