AUT - Academic integrity
- ArionWhere applying and enrolled students can access AUT course information, check your enrolment status, make fee payments, update your personal details and view your academic results.
- AUTOnlineOnline access to course resources and learning activities through AUT's central learning management system.
- UnicentralUniCentral is the AUT University Student Portal. Here you will find useful information about you as a student and quicklinks to all the important online systems you will need to use while studying at AUT University.
Centre Banner
Breadcrumb
Main Content
Academic integrity
This page provides information about plagiarism (a breach of academic integrity): what it is, how it happens and how to avoid it.
What is academic integrity?
Academic integrity governs the way in which you research and write while at university. It is founded on the principles of respect for knowledge, truth, scholarship and acting with honesty. These principles and values are the foundation of academia. Students and staff have a responsibility to practice academic integrity throughout every aspect of academic life.The practice of academic integrity contributes to
- The quality of your degree
- Your grades or marks
- Your learning experience at AUT University
What is plagiarism?
Plagiarism is taking the ideas or words or concepts of others and claiming that they are your own. Plagiarism is a type of intellectual theft. Plagiarism can take many forms, from deliberate cheating to accidentally copying from a source without acknowledgment. Plagiarism can have serious consequences, so it is important that you are aware of what it is, and how to avoid it. Although plagiarism has existed for centuries, the debate about it has been renewed in recent years, especially in regard to the emergence of various forms of information technology.Why do I need to know about plagiarism?
As part of an academic community, and thereby benefiting from your membership of this community, you are expected to abide by its ethical practices. These ethical practices include the need to consciously acknowledge those ideas, words and concepts that we borrow from other people.Almost all scholarship relies upon using the work of others; in fact you can’t normally write academically without borrowing words and/or ideas from other people. However it is important that you acknowledge the academic work of other people. It is partly this tradition of acknowledgment of sources, in the form of referencing, that separates academic writing from other forms of knowledge: it is part of the strength of academic research.
How does plagiarism happen?
Most students who plagiarise do so unintentionally, usually because they need to develop appropriate academic skills to avoid over-reliance on the work of others or because they aren't sure what constitutes plagiarism.How to avoid plagiarism
Plagiarism in these cases is a consequence of students' difficulties with the cluster of academic skills and states of mind needed to be successful in a tertiary learning environment. The following table identifies some of the problematic areas of academic study that can lead students to plagiarise and offers academic learning solutions to those problems. If students develop the following academic skills, their chances of avoiding plagiarism will greatly increase.| Problem | Solution |
| Poor time management | Learn to use your time effectively |
| Poor note taking | Develop note taking systems |
| Inadequate research | Read and research widely |
| Underdeveloped writing skills | Work to improve your writing |
| Underdeveloped paraphrasing skills | Learn how to paraphrase appropriately |
| Lack of a clear argument: not answering the question | Learn how to develop a clear argument |
| Lack of critical/analytical skills | Develop your critical thinking |
| Poor referencing skills | Learn how to reference your sources |
You can learn how to develop all of these academic skills by doing one or more of the following
- Enrol in a KEYS Course
- See our academic learning guides
- See our academic learning links
- Make an appointment for an individual consultation
- Visit a Drop In Centre
References
- Curtin University of Technology. (2009). Academic Integrity – Student Guidelines for avoiding plagiarism. Retrieved 16th April, 2010.
- Victoria University of Wellington. (2010).Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Retrieved 16th April, 2010.
Links to helpful sites
- You Quote It, You Note It!
A simple, animated, interactive tutorial that runs through the basics of plagiarism from Vaughan Memorial Library, Acadia University. - InfoSkills - Information Literacy and Academic Integrity Tutorial
This online module from The University of Newcastle Library explains the values behind academic integrity, helps to define academic misconduct and plagiarism, and identifies some strategies and techniques for good academic practice. - Plagiarism and Academic Integrity
This animated tutorial from Rutgers University offers some simple scenarios and hypothetical situations, plus a text-only version.
Last updated: 06 Mar 2012 4:00pm