Principles

The presentation of genuine, original work is an indispensable cornerstone of appropriate scholarly practice.  This Code explains the ANU's expectations for academic integrity on the part of students in their academic practice.  It sets out the responsibilities of University academic staff in developing and promoting academic integrity, and penalising academic misconduct.

1. The principle of appropriate scholarly practice

Any work by a student of the Australian National University must be work:

• that is original
• that is produced for the purposes of a particular assessment task
• that gives appropriate acknowledgement of the ideas, scholarship and intellectual property of others insofar as these have been used

General understandings and specific techniques of "appropriate acknowledgement" vary across cultures and disciplines.  Therefore:

• it is the responsibility of everyone at the ANU to uphold and promote fundamental principles of quality and integrity in scholarly work
• it is the responsibility of academic staff to promulgate, explicitly and unambiguously, techniques of and expectations about appropriate acknowledgement within their area
• it is the responsibility of students to ensure that they understand the acknowledgement practices relevant to every piece of work they submit for assessment

2. Definitions

For the purpose of the Code:

Academic Integrity

embodies the principle that students' work is genuine and original, completed only with the assistance allowed according to the rules, policies and guidelines of the University.  In particular, the words, ideas, scholarship and intellectual property of others used in the work must be appropriately acknowledged.

Note that "work" above includes not only written material, but in addition any oral, numerical, audio, visual or other material submitted for assessment.

Breaches of academic integrity include plagiarism, collusion, the fabrication or deliberate misrepresentation of data, and failure to adhere to the rules regarding examinations in such a way as to gain unfair academic advantage.

Cheating

means the breach of rules regarding formal examinations, or dishonest practice in informal examinations, tests or other assessments.  Examples include the use of prohibited material or equipment for unfair advantage, and consultation with other persons during the course of the assessment where this is prohibited.

Collusion

is the involvement of more than one individual in an instance of academic dishonesty.  All parties involved in such collusion are in breach of the principle of academic integrity (unless there is good evidence of innocent involvement). "Collusion" needs to be distinguished from "collaboration", defined for the purposes of this document as work jointly undertaken and produced.

Fabrication

is the representation of data, observation or other research activity as genuine, comprehensive and/or original when it is not.  This includes inventing the data, using data gathered by other researchers without acknowledgment, or willfully omitting data to obtain desired results.

Originality

For the purposes of this Code, "original" work is work that is genuinely produced by the student specifically for the particular assessment task.

Plagiarism

is copying, paraphrasing or summarising, without appropriate acknowledgement, the words, ideas, scholarship and intellectual property of another person.  This remains plagiarism whether or not it is with the knowledge or consent of that other person.  Plagiarism has also taken place when direct use of others' words is not indicated, for example by inverted commas or indentation, in addition to appropriate citation of the source.

Each individual student is responsible for ensuring that they are fully informed about methods of acknowledgement appropriate to any piece of assessable work that they submit.

Recycling

is the submission for assessment of work which, wholly or in large part, has been previously presented by the same student for another assessment, either at the Australian National University or elsewhere.  In some cases, lecturers will specifically allow this practice.  If no specific provision to the contrary is made, submission of work for assessment a second or subsequent time constitutes a breach of this Code.

Poor academic practice

covers behaviour that is unintended, careless, inadvertent, uninformed or that is excusable because of mitigating circumstances (including personal, emotional, or health-related circumstances). 

Academic misconduct

covers behaviour that is knowing, intentional, reckless, wilful, premeditated, repeated or that is otherwise inexcusable.

Course Authority 

means the person in charge of a course (and the Student Year Coordinator for the MBBS).

Delegated Authority 

means the staff member in the ANU College appointed for the purposes of this Code.

Note:    The Delegated Authority is normally the Associate Dean (Education) or Head of School in which the course is offered; and the Deputy Dean in the ANU Medical School. If in doubt, students should contact the student adviser or other student support staff for assistance in identifying the appropriate responsible officer.

Student

means any person who is or was enrolled in, or seeking enrolment in, a program in, or a course offered by, the University or who is or was given permission by the University to audit such a course.

3.  Responsibilities of Students

It is the responsibility of each individual student to ensure that:

• they are familiar with the expectations for academic integrity both in general, and in the specific context of particular disciplines or courses
• work submitted for assessment is genuine and original
• appropriate acknowledgement and citation is given to the work of others
• they declare their understanding of and compliance with the principle of academic integrity on appropriate pro formas and cover sheets as required by the academic area, or by a statement prefacing or attached to a thesis
• they do not knowingly assist other students in academically dishonest practice

4.  Responsibilities of Academics

It is the responsibility of individual academic staff teaching, assessing or coordinating a course, to:

• provide information that enables all students taking the course to become aware of this Code
• provide information that enables all students taking the course to become aware of the expectations for academic integrity within the particular College, discipline and course, and of the potential consequences of breaches of this Code
• take account of the disparate educational backgrounds of students, including some who will be quite unfamiliar with the normal expectations for academic integrity. For example, students should be directed to appropriate sources of support and guidance to amplify the academic's explanations about academic integrity
• make regular attempts to detect academic dishonesty in the work submitted by students
• apply penalties in accordance with this Code where breaches occur

In addition, senior staff (such as College Deans) and the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) are responsible for the general implementation, oversight, and promulgation of this Code of Practice.