Plagiarism, or academic dishonesty, is taking and using someone else's work and presenting it as your own, for example:
- Copying the exact words of another author.
- Copying another student's work.
The work of another author includes printed material from books and information from the Internet. All work submitted by students for assessment is accepted on the understanding that it is the student's own work.
Any student suspected of plagiarism will be subject to an investigation, usually by someone other than the lecturer (e.g. the Internal Moderator, another lecturer, or Programme Leader).
If as a result of the investigation the plagiarism is found to be unintentional or so minor no further action is required the lecturer will discuss the matter with the student and explain the need to be careful in order to avoid a suspicion of plagiarism in the future, ensuring the student has a clear understanding of what constitutes plagiarism.
Deliberate plagiarism will be treated seriously and penalties will be appropriate to the individual case, for example:
- A piece of work may be re-graded.
- A piece of work may have to be re-submitted.
Extensive plagiarism may result in disciplinary action. If in doubt about using work by another author at any time during their studies, students should ask their lecturer for guidance, or consult Perth College UHI's referencing guidelines.