If you are being investigated under the academic integrity procedures you are encouraged to read the below guidance and seek advice from a Guild Advisor at guidadv@liv.ac.uk.
Academic Integrity is the umbrella term the University uses for the following practices and is graded in categories according to the severity of the offence;
“Poor Academic Practice”
| Category |
Definition and Examples |
Consequences |
|
A
|
Minor Error – e.g. missing quotation mark, minor mistakes in referencing, non-compliance with presentation guidelines
|
• You will receive a mark penalty (up to 10% of maximum mark) with clear feedback on how to avoid error in the future. |
|
B
|
Poor Academic Practice – e.g. poor paraphrasing, inadequate referencing |
• Your assignment mark will be capped at minimum pass grade for assignment (40 for UG, 50 for PGT)
• You will need to complete an advisory on-line tutorial on poor academic practice
• Normal re-sit regulations apply |
|
C
|
Plagiarism - e.g. misrepresenting another’s work as your own.
Copying – e.g. presenting work that you have copied from another student or person without their knowledge
Collusion – e.g. working together with another student on an individual assignment and submitting similar or identical work
Dishonest use of data – e.g. misrepresenting data |
• You will receive 0% for the assignment
• You will need to complete an advisory on-line tutorial on plagiarism, collusion and fabrication of data
• You will receive a written warning from the University
• Seven calendar days after receiving the written warning the stronger Category D penalties will apply to any work subsequently submitted in which plagiarism, collusion, copying or dishonest use of data have occurred
• Normal re-sit regulations apply |
“Unfair and Dishonest Practice”
| Category |
Definition and Examples |
Consequences |
|
D
|
A subsequent Category C offence – e.g. following the first written warning (see above) |
• You will receive 0% for the module
• You will receive a second written warning
• Normal re-sit regulations apply |
|
E
|
Serious malpractice – e.g. a clear intent to deceive and gain unfair advantage, such as the use of commissioned or purchased coursework, clear fabrication
and falsification of data, the attempt to pass off another person’s dissertation or thesis as one’s own, or highly organised
collusion |
• You will receive 0% for the module
• You will receive either suspension of studies or termination of studies
|
For categories C, D and E the case will be investigated by the Assessment Officer in your department. Categories A and B are determined by the marker.
If you are being investigated, you should contact the Guild Advice Service for support and guidance throughout the process.
The Investigation
You will receive an email from your department’s Assessment Officer explaining that you are being investigated for academic misconduct. You should also receive a copy of the evidence, for example, the turn-it-in report.
The Assessment Officer will invite you to submit a written statement explaining the situation and to attend an interview. A Guild Adviser can help you by reviewing your statement and attending the interview with you for advice and support. During the interview, the Assessment Officer will ask you question around how you prepared your assignment and source you used.
The Assessment Officer will then make a decision based on the evidence and write a report to the Chair of your Board of Examiner’s. The report will explain the circumstances of the offence; the investigation undertaken; the
representations made by you; the findings of the Assessment Officer and his/her recommendation on penalties. You will receive a copy of this report with full details of the penalties applied in your case.
Possible Outcomes
See the Consequences column on table above.
Options to Appeal
You can only appeal against the findings of the Assessment Officer on the grounds of a procedural irregularity in the conduct of the investigation into the offence and you have to follow the University’s Assessment Appeals Procedure.
A Guild Adviser can also support you if you think you have grounds to appeal. Be mindful of the timeframes available to you for appealing.