Learning Lab

Acting with academic integrity

Just as all communities have accepted standards for behaviour, academic communities expect members to act with academic integrity. As a student at RMIT, you are responsible for upholding the academic integrity of the university.

What is academic integrity?

Understanding academic integrity will help you succeed as a member of the RMIT academic community.

"Academic integrity means acting with the values of honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility in learning, teaching and research. It is important for students, teachers, researchers and professional staff to act in an honest way, be responsible for their actions, and show fairness in every part of their work. All students and staff should be an example to others of how to act with integrity in their study and work.” (Exemplary Academic Integrity Project, 2013).

Play the video for a brief overview of academic integrity:

Understanding academic misconduct

It is important to understand what academic misconduct is in order to avoid it. The four main forms of academic misconduct are:

• Plagiarism – using someone else’s work or ideas without giving them proper credit
• Ghostwriting and contract cheating – having someone else complete an assessment for you, or completing someone else’s assessment
• Collusion – working with others to do an assessment that was meant to be completed individually
• Improper exam conduct – giving or receiving help during exams, including using prohibited technology or tools.

Academic integrity in Australia

Academic integrity is taken very seriously in Australia, and there have even been people who have had their degrees withdrawn, after graduation, when they were found to have cheated.

Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) is the federal government agency responsible for standards in tertiary education. TEQSA enforces regulations relating to universities, including academic integrity. In fact, contract cheating services—companies that charge students money to write their assessments for them—are illegal thanks to TEQSA. Not only is it illegal to take money to do someone else’s assessments, it is illegal to buy an essay or other assignment from anyone.

TEQSA has resources for students, and they also provide information in languages other than English.

Students need to be aware of the requirements for their studies. This includes knowing what is considered cheating or colluding, and what is acceptable practice. When in doubt, your instructor can answer questions about what is expected in your course.

References

Please note: The examples on this page use the APA referencing style. Check your course handbook or speak to your instructor about the referencing style required in your area of study.