Academic integrity breaches

Academic integrity breaches occur when a student acts dishonestly, unfairly, or attempts to gain an unfair academic advantage. These actions can undermine the value of your degree and lead to serious consequences. On this page, you'll find information about some common types of academic integrity breaches.

For a complete list, please refer to the Student Academic Integrity Policy (MPF1310).

Plagiarism is when you submit work or ideas that are not your own without properly acknowledging the original source. This includes failing to cite or reference where the work or idea came from, and it applies to all types of content: written documents, interpretations, code, software, designs, music, sounds, images, photographs, and any other material or ideas created by someone else.

Unauthorised reuse of previous work (self-plagiarism)
Unauthorised reuse of your own work (self-plagiarism) occurs when you submit the same work, or parts of it, for more than one assessment without permission, proper disclosure, or appropriate citation. This is not permitted and is considered a breach of academic integrity standards.

Breaching examination or assessment rules occurs when you don’t comply with the rules or instructions for exams or other assessment tasks. This includes having or using unauthorised or prohibited materials, technologies, or information during an exam or assessment.

Always make sure you understand what is allowed before starting any exam or assessment. Assessment rules will be provided for each task, and rules for both written and digital exams are available on the exams webpage.

If you're unsure about any instructions or requirements, speak with your lecturer or tutor for clarification.

All work that you submit for assessment at the University must be your own, original work. Where the ideas or words of other people, or outputs produced by tools, including AI and other software tools are included, these must always be appropriately acknowledged and cited. This includes editing and translation assistance or tools (e.g. Grammarly).

Assessment tasks may also include specific directions on how technology such as AI can be used. It is your responsibility to check assessment guidelines and to understand what is expected from you. If you are unsure of the rules or what you need to acknowledge, contact your subject coordinator before submitting your work.

Failing to disclose or to follow the directions provided on the use of technology is a breach of academic integrity and may result in penalties being applied.

Turnitin, including the AI writing detection tool, is available to staff to review as part of the assessment process.

Read the University's advice for students regarding:

This does not include the use of software or other assistive technology in assessment or examination under an assessment adjustment plan approved in accordance with the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326).

Find out more.

Collusion is when students collaborate on an individual assessment task without permission, even though the task is meant to be completed independently.

You're encouraged to discuss and debate subject content during your studies. However, any work you submit for individual assessment must be entirely your own.

This is different from group assessments, where collaboration is expected and assessed as a team effort. Always follow the instructions provided for each task and check with your lecturer or tutor if you're unsure.

Not just helping a friend.

Amy and Simon are both enrolled in a Business Management subject. Amy submits their assessment on time. Simon, who has actually received an extension, claims to have submitted his work and asks to see Amy’s completed assessment, saying he just wants to compare it with his own. Amy shares their work, but Simon copies parts of it and submits it as his own.

Because Amy shared their work and didn’t take steps to protect it, this could considered collusion, even if Amy didn’t intend to help Simon cheat. In this instance, both students could be held responsible for breaching academic integrity.

Engaging in academic fraud is considered serious academic misconduct and can lead to severe consequences, including expulsion from the University. Academic fraud includes submitting forged or falsified documents, such as transcripts or medical certificates, or falsely claiming an identity, qualification, prior learning, or professional experience.

Submitting altered or forged documents to support a special consideration request is also considered academic fraud. You must ensure that any medical certificates or Health Professional Reports are completed by a registered practitioner.

These actions compromise the integrity of the University and can have serious, long-term consequences. If you are ever unsure about what is acceptable, speak with your lecturer or tutor, or contact Stop 1 for information.

Assessment outsourcing (contract cheating)

  • Assessment outsourcing, commonly known as contract cheating, occurs when someone else produces any part, or all, of the work you submit as your own. This is deliberate cheating and considered serious academic misconduct.

    Similarly, writing or producing work for another student to submit as their own is also considered contract cheating and constitutes academic misconduct. Never produce work for someone else to submit as their own assessment.

    Uploading your own assessments or any assessable work to file-sharing websites or online platforms such as Studocu or CourseHero is also a form of contract cheating. This applies even if you’re not paid for the content or don’t know who will access it.

    Contract cheating also includes having someone else sit an exam on your behalf or sitting an exam for someone else. Importantly, payment doesn’t need to be involved for it to be considered contract cheating.

  • Yes, the University takes this behaviour very seriously. Engaging in contract cheating can lead to serious consequences, including expulsion or having your degree revoked. It can also affect your future, impacting job opportunities, professional registration, and other career pathways.

Contract cheating is illegal under Australian law and is considered high-risk, as it can sometimes lead to blackmail. Protect your academic integrity by ensuring that the work you submit is entirely your own.

Always exercise caution when engaging with external tutoring services

There’s been an increase in contract cheating companies posing as ‘tutoring services’ or ‘assignment and exam support’. These companies will often target students through platforms like Instagram, WeChat, and Telegram, or by approaching students before or after class, encouraging them to scan QR codes to join ‘study support’ groups. Sometimes they'll use University branding to appear legitimate and will target specific language or cultural groups.

Any service that offers ready-made answers or to complete your assessments for you is a contract cheating company. Using these services is not only a serious breach of academic integrity but also a missed opportunity to grow and learn.

Always seek support from trusted University resources, such as Academic Skills. These services help you learn, improve, and understand key concepts. They'll guide you in developing your skills, rather than doing the work for you.