Coursework Academic Integrity Procedure

(effective from 01 Jan 2021)

Intent

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

This procedure supports the Academic Integrity Policy by outlining the requirements of each academic integrity activity.

Scope

This Procedure applies to all staff, students and affiliates in association with Coursework programs. Not all staff and affiliates are required to undertake the Academic Integrity modules identified in this Procedure.

The requirement to complete the modules will be imposed by the relevant Dean or Director, or appear in the relevant contract or letter of appointment.

Definitions

The terms used in this Procedure have the same meanings as those appearing in the Coursework Academic Integrity Policy.

Procedure

1. Staff responsibilities

1.1  Academic and professional staff and affiliates involved in teaching or the supervision of students are responsible for:

a.  Ensuring assessment items are varied and intentionally designed to promote academic integrity, in accordance with clause 3.4 of the Learning, Teaching, and Assessment Procedures,

b.  Making students aware when collaborative work is permissible in a particular assessment task, and the extent to which collaboration is permitted in that task, in accordance with the 3.1 of the Learning, Teaching, and Assessment Procedures,

c.  Providing students with messaging around JCU’s standpoint that contract cheating is a severe form of academic misconduct.

d.  Enforcing a requirement that assessment item is submitted with an electronic or paper declaration, as appropriate.

e.  Following set processes to safeguard against students’ claims of non-receipt and non-return of assessment items,

f.  Using plagiarism/cheating/text-checking software whenever possible to help detect academic misconduct

g. Supporting students through the provision of explicit information about JCU’s assessment requirements, as per section 3.2 of the Learning, Teaching and Assessment Procedure and across all delivery modes.

h. Making affiliates aware of any relevant obligations contained in the Coursework Academic Integrity Policy and this procedure.

i.  Directing students towards other educative materials, such as library copyright guides, and discipline-specific resources where they are relevant.

j.  Reminding students of their obligations in accordance with the Coursework Academic Integrity Policy and this procedure.

1.2  The Dean, Centre for Education and Enhancement must ensure that:

a.  Staff and student academic integrity training resources are developed, available, current, and fit-for-purpose.

b.  There is specific academic integrity training and support for students who have English as an additional language or dialect.

1.3 Deans, Senior Principals, Principals and Campus Directors are expected to build staff capacity, and must ensure that:

a.  Relevant staff receive academic integrity training.

b.  Relevant staff are trained to identify and substantiate suspected academic misconduct.

c.  Staff and students are instructed on how to use University ICT services in a lawful, ethical, and appropriate manner, in accordance with the Information Communication Technology Acceptable Use Policy.

2. Students’ responsibilities

JCU promotes a positive learning, teaching, and research culture, and expects students to act with academic integrity at all times.

2.1  Assessment responsibilities: Students must:

a.  Refer to the relevant Subject Outline or Handbook for instructions for presenting, undertaking, and submitting assessment items,

b.  Reference the work of others when developing material for assessment or publication,

c.  Seek and display permission to use the work of others, where required,

d.  Take reasonable steps to ensure that others cannot copy or otherwise misuse their work,

e.  Comply with all University instructions for the preparation and submission of individual work,

f.  Comply with all University instructions for the preparation and submission of their individual work when presented as part of group assessment, and acknowledge academic collaboration in group work,

g.  Avoid collusion, and/or working very closely, with another student on an assessment item, or part of an assessment item, that is intended to be completed individually,

h.  Treat the collection and reporting of experimental results and data ethically and honestly and in accordance with any ethical approvals,

i.  Collect and store any patient or client based data and notes compiled while on placement or a clinical setting in an ethical and honest manner with regard to the Information Privacy Policy.

j.  Complete an assessment declaration when submitting assessment items.

2.2 Assessment responsibilities: Students must not:

a.  Let another person write, create, or conduct the research for any assessment item, unless it is expressly permitted as part of a group assessment

b.  Take part in contract-cheating by completing, purchasing or otherwise procuring pre-written or specially prepared assessment items from a third party; or by using paraphrasing software

c.  Take part in contract-cheating by completing, purchasing, or otherwise procuring research and/or data required for an assessment task from a third party

d.  Impersonate another student, or allow themselves to be impersonated

e.  Upload and/or sell an assessment, assessment notes, or any materials that undermine academic integrity, to any third party, including a third-party website

f.  Falsify or misuse data in any academic exercise, including presenting falsified data or reference material in a paper, manuscript, or presentation.

g.  Submit work for assessment that has previously received a grade, either at another time or at another institution (self-plagiarism)

h.  Falsify academic results and/or grades

i.  Falsify or misrepresent official documents, for example, academic records and medical certificates.

j.  Offer, or accept, bribes

k.  Engage in cheating in tests and examinations, including copying from another student, taking prohibited materials into an exam, tampering with papers, acquiring, and distributing a paper without approval, or disrupting an examination to gain academic advantage

l.  Sabotage examination papers, online learning environments, laboratory equipment, or IT equipment.

2.3 Former students may have their award revoked under clause 6 of the Coursework Award Finalisation, Conferral and Issuance Procedure, where that student has engaged in acts of academic misconduct.

3. Procedures for completing Academic Integrity modules

3.1  All students must complete JCU’s Student Academic Integrity modules to help build a culture of academic integrity. Academic Integrity modules are available to all students, and are located in LearnJCU.

a.  Commencing students must complete the Academic Integrity modules before the end of the first major study period after commencement. This is a condition of ongoing enrolment, and final subject results may be withheld and/or future enrolments may be prevented if the module is not completed by this time.

b.  Current students must complete the Academic Integrity modules before census date of their first study period of admission after the modules become available.

c.  Students will enrol and complete the Academic Integrity Modules through Learn JCU and  completion records will be accessible to staff through LearnJCU.

d.  Students will receive a confirmation email from the Centre for Education and Enhancement upon successful completion of all modules.

3.2  Staff and affiliates must complete JCU’s Staff Academic Integrity modules, where directed by the University, and as follows:

a.  Academic staff must access Academic Integrity modules within 21 university working days after receiving a direction from their line manager to complete the modules.

b.  Staff Academic Integrity modules will be available through Learn JCU.

4. Procedures for identifying breaches of academic integrity

4.1 Anyone who has a genuine, reasonable suspicion that a student, staff member, or affiliate is  involved in a breach of academic integrity is required to report the incident:

a.  Breach by a student – report as directed in the Student Academic Misconduct Procedure.

b.  Breach by a staff member – report as directed under the integrity obligations of the Staff Code of Conduct.

c.  Breach by an affiliate – report to the Academic Head for management under the relevant arrangement or agreement with the affiliate.

d.  Breach related to a research activity within the scope of the Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research – report under the Managing and Investigating Potential Breaches of the JCU Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research Procedure or the Authorship Procedure

Related policy instruments

Coursework Academic Integrity Policy

Schedules/Appendices

Nil

Administration

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

Approval Details

Revision History