Copycat
If you have been accused of plagiarism or collusion, the Independent Advice Unit can help.
IAU advisors are able to attend university proceedings with you; we can either represent you or just be there for support. If you have been told that you will have to attend an investigation panel set up to look at the allegation of plagiarism, read the following information then contact the IAU. We can help go through the details of the allegation and help you prepare your case.
If you have been told that the case involves collusion or the plagiarism of another student’s work, the IAU's policy regarding 'Conflict of Interests' can mean that if you are not the first person involved, we may not be able to help and will have to refer you elsewhere. Therefore, it is important you contact the IAU as soon as you receive the letter from the university.
But what is Plagiarism?
Simply, it is using somebody else’s words, thoughts or ideas without giving them credit i.e. without citing your sources, which means without stating what book, journal, website etc. you got the information from.
Plagiarism / collusion is taken very seriously by the University and academics and is dealt with accordingly. A student who is caught plagiarising will have to appear before an Academic Conduct Officer or the Academic Misconduct Panel.
Now I know what it is how do I avoid it?
In order to avoid it follow these basic steps:
There are two systems of referencing used at Keele, they are Harvard & Oxford. Either ask your department which method they use or check your course handbook.
What does citing your sources mean?
- Referencing
- Doing a full bibliography at the end of your essay
- Write down any books / authors you have used
- Write down any journals you have used
- Write down any websites you have used and the date that you accessed them
If I want to use somebody’s words in my essay, what else should I do?
Put the persons words in quotation marks, then in brackets write down
who said it, the year the book was published, and the page number. If
it is a long quotation (four lines or more) indent the paragraph.
What is collusion?
Some courses encourage students to collaborate/work together on projects; however you cannot submit similar or same pieces of work. If this happens it is known as collusion.
Collusion is where a piece of work is prepared by more than one student, including work deriving from a piece of authorised collaborative group-work, and is presented in whole or in part for assessment as if it were the student’s own work.
How do I avoid collusion?
Discuss the topic but make seperate notes and make sure you write the essay by yourself in your own work space / room
Don’t follow the format (layout / the way it looks) of others.
Use sources differently to your friends as much as possible.
If you are still confused with regards to plagiarism and collusion, you can always speak to your personal tutor / department or to SSDS (Student Support & Development Services). The IAU can also advise and on a one to one basis and will also be giving workshops on the subject throughout the year.
Have a look at the University Regulations to find out more about plagiarism and collusion and a rough guide to likely outcomes if you have been accused of plagiarism or collusion.