Investigation meetings
How to prepare for a plagiarism investigation meeting
In preparing your statement for the investigator, you should review the Turn It In report and be reflective when reviewing the flagged sections.
Is there evidence of plagiarism? Examples of forms of plagiarism include:
- The verbatim (word for word) copying of another’s work without appropriate and correctly presented acknowledgement and citation of the source;
- The close paraphrasing of another’s work by simply changing a few words or altering the order of presentation, without appropriate and correctly presented acknowledgement and citation of the source;
- Failure to reference appropriately or to adequately identify the source of material used;
- Unacknowledged quotation of phrases from another’s work;
- The deliberate and detailed presentation of another’s concept as one’s own
Review the sections of the submitted work: can you see why plagiarism has been detected? Why did you complete the work in this way? Explain how you could have approached the work differently. You may consider the guides for appropriate referencing.
Discuss how you plan to manage your future assignments so that you will not encounter similar problems, for example you could: attend reference training, seek support from Academic Advisor or Liaison Librarian, and/or manage time for assignment writing.
How to prepare for a collusion investigation meeting
Collusion occurs when, unless with official approval (e.g. in the case of group projects), two or more students consciously collaborate in the preparation and production of work that is ultimately submitted by each in an identical or substantially similar form and/or is represented by each to be the product of his or her individual efforts.
Collusion also occurs where there is unauthorised co-operation between a student and another person in the preparation and production of work, which is presented as the student’s own.
Review the sections of the work: can you see why collusion has been detected? Are you aware of why the work has been flagged? Can you provide an overview of why this has happened? Explain how you would have approached the work differently.
How to prepare for a copying investigation meeting
Copying occurs when a student consciously presents as their own work material copied directly from a fellow student or other person without their knowledge. It includes the passing off another’s intellectual property, not in the public domain, as one’s own.
It differs from collusion in that the originator of the copied work is not aware of or party to the copying.
Copying of work from published sources would be dealt with as copying.
Review the sections of the work: can you see why it has been flagged as copying? Are you aware of why the work has been flagged? Can you provide an overview of why this has happened? Explain how you would have approached the work differently.
How to prepare for a dishonest use of data investigation meeting
The term “dishonest use of data” is used to cover one or more of the following:
- Embellishment or Falsification of Data occurs when a proportion of the total data is altered, enhanced or exaggerated in order to emphasise data, which has been obtained by legitimate means.
- Fabrication of Data occurs when a student creates and presents an extensive amount or significant piece of data in order to conceal a paucity of legitimate data; or wholly fabricates a set of data in the absence of legitimate data.
It differs from collusion in that the originator of the copied work is not aware of or party to the copying.
Review the sections of the work: can you see why it has been flagged as Dishonest use of Data? Are you aware of why the work has been flagged? Can you provide an overview of why this has happened? Explain how you would have approached the work differently.
If you are involved in any of the above investigation meetings, you should contact the Guild Advice Service for support and guidance throughout the process.
