Cheating, Plagiarism and Unfair Practice Franchise Delivery Quality Assurance Services

Session outline Academic Integrity University procedures Distinct stages of the process Roles and responsibilities Penalties Further guidance

Introduction Academic Integrity = good academic practice Support for students: Student induction Course Handbook Academic skills sessions Quote Unquote Little Book of Plagiarism Ongoing support

Is the substantial, unacknowledged, incorporation in a student’s work of material derived from the work (published or unpublished) of another. “Work” includes internet sources. (C9.1.8 Leeds Beckett University Academic Principles and Regulations) Plagiarism

The inclusion in a student’s work of extracts from another person’s work without the use of quotation marks and/or acknowledgement of the source(s) The summarising of another person’s work without acknowledgement The substantial and unauthorised use of the ideas of another person without acknowledgement Examples of plagiarism include:

Self-plagiarism Occurs when a student submits work for credit which has been submitted elsewhere for credit. This may be part of a piece of work or the entire piece of work. It may have been submitted to this University or another institution. (C9.1.9 Leeds Beckett University Academic Principles and Regulations)

Collusion Occurs when a student collaborates with another student in the completion of work which is then submitted as unaided work by either student (C Leeds Beckett University Academic Principles and Regulations)

Cheating Cheating is unfair behaviour relating to an examination More details are available ( Leeds Beckett University Academic Principles and Regulations C9.1.7) c-regulations.htm c-regulations.htm

Other Forms of Unfair Practice Include: Offering a bribe or inducement, Falsifying data in any piece of work, Submitting copies of another person’s work stored on an electronic device, Ghostwriting, i.e. paying someone else to do some or all of a piece of work

University procedures Stage 1: Investigatory Interview Stage 2: Assessment Enquiry Panel Stage 3: Assessment Appeal Panel Stage 1 and 2 will take place at the Partner with Stage 3 taking place via virtual means with a senior member of University staff chairing the meeting. N.B In the formative years of a partnership, the University may also support Stage 1 and 2.

Key roles Academic Integrity Lead (partner-based Franchise Coordinator) – chair Stage 2 Assessment Enquiry Panel – oversight of staff development –Compliance with C9 of Academic Principles and Regulations and procedures Academic Integrity Coordinators –Trained academic staff who can chair Stage 1 meetings –Department/ School based

Stage 1 A suspected case of unfair practice will provoke Stage 1: an Initial Investigatory Interview: Panel Chair: Academic Integrity Coordinator Partner based internal examiner / invigilator (if found during moderation stage, it is still the responsibility of the local tutor to present the case) In attendance Student Student’s friend / representative (optional) (observer) *A University member of staff may attend to support or even Chair in the early stages of the partnership. This provides a developmental opportunity for partner-based staff

Stage 2 A lack of resolution through Stage 1, prompts Stage 2: an Assessment Inquiry Panel Panel Chair: Academic Integrity Lead Partner- based academic from the same subject area but who has not taught the student in the module (s) being investigated Partner -based academic independent to the subject area In attendance Internal Examiner – The member of staff making the allegation Student Student’s friend (optional) (observer) Partner based Secretary Formal minutes will be taken of a Stage 2 Inquiry Panel – training req.

Stage 3 A student’s desire to appeal the decision of the Assessment Inquiry Panel provokes Stage 3 an: Assessment Appeal Panel Panel Chair: University- based Dean of the Faculty of nominee (not the student’s HoS or Chair of the EC/BoE) Experienced member of University-based academic staff from a different faculty Experienced member of partner-based academic staff from the student’s faculty, who has not taught the student In attendance Student Student’s friend (optional) (observer) University based secretary Formal minutes will be taken of a Stage 3 Appeal Panel

Unfair Practice Board Established in April 2009 To consider admitted or found cases of cheating, plagiarism and other forms of unfair practice To ensure transparent, fair and consistent procedures for penalising proven cases of unfair practices

Membership of the Board An Academic representative from each Faculty and a substitute member (both appointed by the Dean of Faculty) A Representative from Quality Assurance Services A Chair, as determined by Quality Assurance Services A Secretary from Quality Assurance Services

Purpose To refer-back to the Partner any outcomes which showed procedural or other deficiencies which rendered the admission or finding unsound; To determine penalties for proven cases of unfair practice; To receive any extenuating circumstances submitted in relation to unfair practice and consider these prior to the determination of penalty;

Penalties Take account of level, previous offences, gravity and circumstances A – the student may be awarded the full range of marks for the resubmitted work (Letter of Advice) B – the mark for the reassessed work will be a maximum of 40% (Letter of Warning) C – the mark for the reassessed work will be a maximum of 30% (Letter of Final Warning) D - the student has failed the level and is required to withdraw from the programme of study (Letter of Withdrawal)

Tariff

Documentation The Partner is responsible for ensuring the following: Stage 1 forms require some completion by hand, signed by all stakeholders Invitation letter is sent to the student re: Stage 1 Outcome letter is sent to the student re: Stage 1 Outcome letter is sent to the student re: Stage 2 Outcome letter is sent to the student re: Stage 3 Reporting all outcomes to the University on the Franchise UPB submission template Forwarding on the outcomes of the Unfair Practice Board to the student The University (Faculty) is responsible for: reporting all cases to the Unfair Practice Board via the relevant Faculty sending the outcome of the Unfair Practice Board to the Partner and the Franchise Coordinator / Link Tutor All templates are available in the Operational Guidance for Franchise Delivery

Further guidance Section C9 Guidance on Cheating, Plagiarism and other forms of unfair practice Developing Excellent Academic Practice module available to Associate Staff Conduct of the Invigilation of Written Examinations handbook Skills for Learning Operational Guidance for Franchise Delivery

Further guidance Quote, Unquote / Little Book of Plagiarism

Questions