Plagiarism and Cheating

Plagiarism and Cheating

This policy is designed to provide guidelines for the management of academic misconduct at Gold Coast Learning Centre (GCLC).

Responsibility

GCLC’s Trainers, VET administrator and General Manager, are responsible for the control and implementation of this policy.

Definitions

Cheating is deliberately acting dishonestly or unfairly to gain an advantage for the purpose of improving an assessment result. It includes:

• Submission of work which has been stolen, borrowed or purchased
• Collaboration in the preparation of an assignment, unless such collaboration is specifically permitted or required by the Trainer/Teacher
• Use of unauthorised material (e.g. textbook, notes, computer programs) during a test or exam
• Allowing another person to complete work on your behalf
• Making up false information

Plagiarism means to use or copy someone else’s ideas or work, and submit that material as your own work. Whether inadvertent or deliberate, plagiarism includes the following:

• Word-for-word copying of sentences or whole paragraphs from one or more sources, or presenting substantial extracts from books, articles, CDs or the internet, without clearly indicating their origin
• Using very close paraphrasing of sentences or whole paragraphs without due acknowledgement in the form of reference to the original work
• Use of another person’s ideas, work or research data without acknowledgement
• Copying computer files without clearly indicating their origin.

Policy

GCLC will be vigilant in monitoring for any evidence of plagiarism and cheating. Academic misconduct will be deemed to have occurred where a student engages in cheating, plagiarism or behaves in any other manner by which they seek to gain any academic advantage or advancement (for themselves or another).

Plagiarism and Cheating

GCLC will treat assisting in plagiarism and cheating as a form of plagiarism and cheating. This may include knowingly assisting another person to cheat or allowing another student to copy work by giving them access to a draft/completed assignment.
Whilst GCLC will have no objection to preliminary discussion of an assignment, joint planning and/or execution of work is not permitted except where specified. Students must acknowledge the names of other students with whom they may have collaborated in any piece of work.
GCLC discipline rules on plagiarism and cheating also apply to electronic information. Students will be advised that misuse of computers in general may attract criminal charges.

Penalties for Plagiarism and Cheating

Where GCLC finds evidence of plagiarism and cheating, the appropriate action or penalty will be enforced, as per the Plagiarism and Cheating Procedure.

Appeal

The student has the right to appeal the outcome of a plagiarism or cheating decision.

Procedure

General

Monitoring of student work for evidence of plagiarism and cheating will be conducted by Trainers/Teachers in the usual conduct of assessing student work.

Plagiarism and Cheating

Students must ensure that they follow referencing guidelines, as provided by the Trainer/Teacher, in the submission of work that cites material from other sources.

Penalties for Plagiarism and Cheating

In circumstances where a GCLC representative is alerted to, or finds evidence of plagiarism and cheating, an investigation will be conducted to determine whether plagiarism and cheating has taken place.
The VET administrator will conduct an investigation in conjunction with the relevant Trainer/Teacher. This investigation will include offering the student the right to be heard. After a determination has been made, the student will be advised in writing within seven (7) days of the decision being made.
If evidence of plagiarism or cheating is found, the Manager will apply the appropriate penalty.
Penalties for plagiarism, cheating and academic misconduct may include:

• a formal warning
• loss of credit for the relevant unit (or the requirement to undertake reassessment)
• exclusion from your training program temporarily
• termination of enrolment

Appeal

If a student wishes to appeal a decision relating to penalties for plagiarism and cheating, they may do so according to the Student Complaints and Appeals Policy and Procedure.