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Other types of academic misconduct

Academic misconduct is broadly described as dishonest actions that breach the principles of Academic integrity. As outlined in the Student Conduct Rules, it is your responsibility as a UOW student to avoid academic misconduct. There are serious consequences for engaging in these practices (whether intentional or unintentional) and these are detailed in the UOW Academic Integrity Policy and Academic Misconduct (Coursework) Procedure.  

Academic misconduct is concerning because it: 

  • gives individuals an unfair advantage over others.
  • can lead to gaps in important discipline and content knowledge required for your profession. 
  • limits a student’s ability to build valuable skills throughout their study, such as time management, effective writing and critical thinking.
  • prevents students from receiving feedback about their own learning.
  • minimises the value of university education. 

(Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency, 2022)   

Types of academic misconduct

Examples

  • Presenting the ideas, designs, creative content, code, words or work of others as your own without appropriate acknowledgement via referencing
  • Resubmitting your work from a previous assessment task without correct acknowledgement or permission from the subject coordinator
  • Using techniques to disguise plagiarised work
  • Using incorrect or inconsistent referencing practices
  • Presenting verbatim text from other sources as your own without alteration or referencing it as a direct quotation
  • Failing to paraphrase in a way that demonstrates your own understanding of the source 

How to avoid

  • Use careful Note-taking when reading sources  
  • Practice your Paraphrasing skills
  • Follow the Referencing & citing guide for your subject 
  • See a Learning Skills Advisor to build your referencing and paraphrasing skills, and to better understand your assessment task 
  • Start all assessments fresh without incorporating any work from past assessments 
  • Check your subject outline for specific assessment requirements 

In an examination, an in-class test or quiz, in-person or online.

Examples

  • Copying from or communicating with others during an exam 
  • Using or possessing prohibited items or materials (e.g., study notes, calculator, smart phones/watches) during an exam 
  • Sending, receiving or accessing (or endeavouring to send, receive or access) electronic information during an exam 
  • Accessing or obtaining an advance copy of an exam paper 
  • Breaching the exam conditions detailed in the assessment instructions subject outline and/or exam rules and procedures 

 

How to avoid

  • Check the requirements of your exam for approved and unapproved items in advance 
  • Find a Study skills technique that works for you 
  • Work with a Peer Learning Coach to build your confidence, study and time management skills in preparation for exams 
  • See a Maths Skills Advisor for support with mathematics and numeracy concepts related to your degree 
  • Attend PASS (if available for your study area) to better understand your subject content and learn valuable skills from senior students 

Example

Having someone complete any part of an assessment task for you (e.g. commercial provider, past student, friend or family member) or arranging for another person to sit an exam, test or quiz on your behalf (these may or may not involve the exchange of money). 

How to avoid

Collusion / facilitating academic dishonesty 

Examples

  • Assisting another student to commit academic misconduct (intentionally or recklessly) 
  • Collaborating with others on an assessment task that is required to be completed individually 
  • Uploading course/subject materials (e.g. subject outline, assessment task, exam information) to a website or server without permission from UOW, for purposes other than personal use 
  • Removing (or endeavouring to remove) questions, answers, papers or other materials from an exam without permission from the exam supervisor 
  • Copying, recording, downloading, screenshotting or photographing exam questions or materials in an online exam 

 

How to avoid

  • Work independently on tasks unless they have been specified as a group or collaborative assignment 
  • Seek academic support from a Learning or Maths Skills Advisor rather than collaborating with other students on an individual assessment 
  • Check your subject outline for specific assessment requirements 
  • Do not share subject or course materials with others unless otherwise directed 
  • Check the specific requirements of your exam in advance and follow the instructions of exam supervisors carefully 

Misrepresentation / fabrication 

Examples

  • Falsifying or intentionally misrepresenting information, data or images in an assessment task 
  • Citing made-up or incorrect sources 
  • Fabricating data for use in a research project 
  • Making an untrue statement about attendance or participation in an activity required for assessment (e.g. practical experience) 

 

How to avoid

Misuse of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Technology 

Examples

  • Using materials generated by unauthorised AI tools for an assessment task without permission from the subject coordinator 
  • Failing to acknowledge GenAI with correct referencing when it is permitted in an assessment 

 

How to avoid

  • Work with a Learning Skills Advisor to build confidence in your writing and referencing skills, or with a Maths Skills Advisor 
  • Consult UOW’s policies on GenAI 
  • Check your subject outline for specific assessment requirements, including the extent of permission of GenAI use, if any 
  • Follow the Referencing & citing guide to reference GenAI correctly if it is permitted in your assessment task 
  • Avoid relying on GenAI technology and instead work on building your skills with practice and experience 

Example

Seeking to gain unfair academic advantage by submitting fraudulent documentation (such as a medical certificate) to support an Academic Consideration request.

 

How to avoid

  • Read the Academic Consideration guidelines carefully before submitting a request and only provide legitimate supporting documentation 
  • Seek support early if you are having trouble completing your assessments or meeting course requirements 

Academic misconduct is often the result of feeling unprepared or unsure about an assessment task and making less effective short-term choices to manage this. Seek early support for your assessments and course work if you are finding things challenging. A range of support services can be accessed via the Student Success Portal.