Plagiarism and Cheating Procedure
Purpose
This procedure describes the processes whereby Trinity Institute of Business Studies Limited (Trinity Institute of Business Studies) will manage cases of academic misconduct.
Scope
This procedure applies to all clients of Trinity Institute of Business Studies.
Responsible Parties
Trinity Institute of Business Studies’ Training Managers and General Manager, Metro, are responsible for the control and implementation of this procedure.
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 unauthorized 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
Clients are defined as including students, legal/host employers and workplace supervisors.
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.
Trinity Institute of Business Studies representative is defined as an employee or contractor of Trinity Institute of Business Studies.
Procedure
1. 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.
2. 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.
Students should refer to the Assessment Style Guide for guidance on referencing conventions in order to avoid plagiarism.
3. Penalties for Plagiarism and Cheating
In circumstances where a Trinity Institute of Business Studies 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 relevant Trinity Institute of Business Studies Training Manager 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 Training 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 under take reassessment)
- exclusion from your training program temporarily
- termination of enrolment
4. 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.