Coursework Academic Integrity Policy

(effective from 01 Jan 2021)

Intent

JCU fosters environments that promote academic integrity, professional behaviour, and ethical standards.

This policy and its procedures underpin the University’s commitment to the promotion and advancement of academic integrity in all aspects of Coursework teaching, learning, assessment, and research activities.

Scope

This Policy applies to all staff, students and affiliates in association with Coursework programs.

Definitions

Academic integrity means the commitment to act ethically, with honesty, respect, and fairness in creating and/or publishing and/or otherwise communicating information in an academic environment. It is evident in the use, production, and dissemination of information in a respectful and responsible way.

Academic misconduct is conduct that attempts or succeeds to obtain unfair academic advantage through misrepresentation, plagiarism, collusion, falsification, cheating, use of social relationships with academic staff or any other breach of academic integrity for their own gain or the benefit of others.

Affiliate means:

1. a person (other than a staff member or student, including HDR candidates) who is affiliated with JCU by letter of appointment or invitation to work, research or study at the University for a particular activity and typically for a prescribed timeframe and who is bound to comply with the University’s policies during that period (for example, visiting scholars and adjunct appointees); or
2. a third party contractor or an employee of a third party contractor engaged to supervise students in scholarly endeavours.

Contract cheating means a form of academic misconduct which occurs when a student employs or uses a third party to undertake all, or part of, an assessment task, and then submits it as their own work.

Collusion means a form of academic misconduct which involves unauthorised collaboration on assessable work with others.  Examples of collusion include, but are not limited to:

a) allowing another person to contribute to the student’s work without permission from the University;

b) assisting another student in writing or editing their assessment where that assessment piece is intended for completion by an individual student.

Research misconduct means a failure to meet the principles and responsibilities of the Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research Policy.

Principles

This Policy is underpinned by the following principles:

1. JCU takes an educative approach to academic integrity. The University values academic integrity and relies on the application of honesty in all scholarly endeavours.
2. JCU provides support and transparent processes so that teaching, learning, research, and scholarship can flourish. JCU is committed to:
   • Treating all staff and students fairly and consistently
   • Recognising the legal rights of staff, students and affiliates, including those relating to intellectual property, privacy, and commercial exploitation costs and revenue
   • Embracing curriculum and assessment design which promotes academic integrity.
3. JCU promotes a positive learning, teaching, and research culture; the University is opposed to, and does not tolerate any form of academic misconduct.
4. JCU provides support and training to staff and affiliates to detect and manage incidents of academic misconduct.
5. JCU provides information, support and training to students to promote academic integrity.

Policy

1. JCU staff, students and affiliates must:
   • Uphold the principles of academic integrity
   • Take an honest and fair approach to academic work.
   • Complete academic integrity training modules and discipline-specific integrity requirements
   • Adhere to the ethical expectations inherent throughout the University’s academic integrity, as required.
2. Students must demonstrate academic integrity in their studies and assessment practices, and they are responsible for ensuring the authenticity and originality of all materials submitted for assessment.
3. The University will provide relevant staff with professional development and training in academic integrity and assessment design to minimise opportunities for breaches of academic integrity, in accordance with the Learning, Teaching and Assessment Procedures.

4. Research conducted by coursework students is subject to the same ethical standards as HDR research:
   • The Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research guides responsible research practices.
   • Any concerns or complaints about potential breaches of the Research Code must be managed in accordance with the Managing and Investigating Potential Breaches of the Research Code Procedure.
5. Allegations that students have breached academic integrity are dealt with in a fair, consistent, transparent, and timely manner and are investigated in accordance with the Academic Misconduct Procedures. The penalties for academic misconduct at JCU are outlined in Appendix 2 of the Student Code of Conduct Policy.
6. The University takes human rights and principles of natural justice into account as part of any decision-making process, and no person will suffer any discrimination or victimisation as a result of raising an allegation of academic misconduct.

Related policies

Authorship Procedure

Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research

Code of Conduct (Staff)

Code of Conduct (Students)

Conflicts of Interest Guidelines

Copyright Policy and Procedure

Coursework Academic Integrity Procedures

Higher Degree by Research Code of Practice

Intellectual Property Policy and Procedure

Learning, Teaching and Assessment Policy

Legislation

Australian Qualifications Framework

Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research

Copyright Act

Public Sector Ethics Act 1994 (Qld)

TEQSA Good Practice Note 2017: https://www.teqsa.gov.au/sites/default/files/good-practice-note-addressing-contract-cheating.pdf?v=1507082628

Administration

NOTE: Printed copies of this policy are uncontrolled, and currency can only be assured at the time of printing.

Approval Details

Revision History