Plagiarism
Definition of Plagiarism
Plagiarism: is the presentation of the work, idea or creation of another person as though it is your own. It is a form of cheating and is a very serious academic offence that may lead to expulsion from the University. Plagiarised material can be drawn from, and presented in, written, graphic and visual form, including electronic data, and oral presentations. Plagiarism occurs when the origin of the material used is not appropriately cited.
Examples of plagiarism include:
- Copying sentences or paragraphs word for word from one or more sources, whether published or unpublished, which could include but is not limited to books, journals, reports, theses, websites, conference papers, course notes, etc without proper citation
- Closely paraphrasing sentences, paragraphs, ideas or themes without proper citation
- Piecing together text from one or more sources and adding only linking sentences
- Copying or submitting whole or parts of computer files without acknowledging their source
- Copying designs or works of art and submitting them as your original work
- Copying a whole or any part of another student’s work
- Submitting work as your own that someone else has done for you.
You should refer to the RMIThttp://mams.rmit.edu.au/1oavdg0bdd1.pdf(Pdf 324 Kb) for more details.
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Strategies to Minimise Opportunities for Plagiarism
It is advisable to read two very useful documents, and a web page:
Links to these resources can be found under the Plagiarism heading on the List of RMIT Policies web page.
The following steps may be of initial assistance to you:
- At the beginning of every course you take, engage students in a discussion of the implications of plagiarism and emphasise strategies that will encourage them to present their own work – refer them to Plagiarism: Resources for Students
- Be clear about your expectations in assessment tasks, especially regarding the kind of research required, and explain the benefits of submitting original work
- Refer students to the Academic Integrity section of your Course Guide – this is a standard entry in every RMIT Course Guide
- Let students know that all submitted work must be accompanied by a completed Statement of Authorship which is a signed declaration that the work they have submitted is their own – the Statement of Authorship is part of the cover sheet that must be attached to all work submitted for assessment.
- Complement written work with oral work.
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What to Do if You Suspect Plagiarism
If you suspect plagiarism in a student’s work you need to document the reasons and evidence for your suspicion. The Plagiarism Policy procedure states that is the responsibility of the Head of School to assess and determine what action is to be taken. Speak to your Program Leader about the exact procedure in your school.
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