Developing a clear understanding of the requirements of being academic and the importance of academic honesty and integrity in our work, being time-realistic so there is no need to take risks and short-cuts to meet deadlines, and having a clear understanding of what is plagiarism, collusion and cheating, will help us considerably to remove any prospect of ever actually committing (however unintentionally) any of these allegations.
What if something does go wrong?
If you do ever find yourself alleged to have committed plagiarism, or colluded or cheated, there’s no denying it can be an immensely stressful experience.
Yet, the panel convened will always seek to review fairly any allegations presented to it. Crucially, you will have the opportunity to defend yourself, if you wish, either (1) in writing or (2) in person.
If you receive an academic misconduct allegation, it will include a report outlining the allegation, the evidence it's based upon and guidance on what you need to do next. If you read all this carefully, you should be able to understand why the allegation has been made against you and what you can do about it.
It’s important that you read through all the documents which have been sent to you to ensure you have a full understanding of the allegation, penalty and the best way forward.
Please note where a case involves two or more students, if a student requests an oral hearing,
all students involved will have to attend an oral hearing - even if you have done a written representation.
If you are accepting the allegation but wish to make written representations/or attend an oral hearing:
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Be honest, and explain what happened which led to this.
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Clearly explain what the basis of the request is.
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Demonstrate why you think you deserve a lower penalty.
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Explain how the current penalty could affect you/your final award.
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Provide relevant evidence in support of your written request.
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If you would like an oral hearing you will need to clearly explain.
If you are disputing the allegation and also making written representations/or attending an oral hearing:
You will need to clearly demonstrate why you are disputing the allegation and provide evidence for this.
If you decide that you want to attend an oral hearing you have the right to be assisted by a friend (a student of the University) or member of staff.
At an oral hearing, you will usually get your outcome at the end of the hearing.