What is cheating?
Some example of cheating or attempted cheating in connection with examinations or coursework requirement:
- use or possession of illegal support material during a given examination or test
- unlawful use of permitted support material
- presenting other people’s work as one's own, plagiarism, including inadequate source referencing and/or clear citation
- presenting own previous work without a reference self-plagiarism
- unlawful cooperation between students or groups
- otherwise acting in a manner that can lead to an unfair advantage in the assessment or in connection with compulsory activities
What is plagiarism?
Some example of plagiarism:
- direct copying of other people's material without referencing the sources, where the person copying deliberately attempts to present other people's work as his/her own
- using other people's material, but reworking it to a certain extent. One example of this is what is known as paraphrasing, where other people's material is slightly re-written, so that the original elements are identifiable and recognisable, and the original source is not referenced.
- cases where it has not been the intention to steal other people's material, but plagiarism is due to an oversight or inadequate mastery of the rules of source referencing
- cases where the student reuses his/her own previously submitted work, in whole or in part, in new assignments, without stating it (self-plagiarism).
How is plagiarism detected?
Østfold University College uses text recognition software for plagiarism control of assigments submitted through Inspera, Canvas or other programs. When a document is submitted the text recognition software will display how much of the document has textual similarity to existing literature, previous assignments, compendiums etc.
What happens if you are caught cheating?
If you are suspected of cheating the case will be presented to the Appeals Board at Østfold University College. As a student, you will be given the opportunity to defend your case to the exam administration before it is sent over to the Appeals Board. The Appeals Board will then process the case and make a decision.
Sanctions for cheating or attempted cheating include annulment of the examination and/or exclusion from the university college. Sanctions may also include loss of the right to sit examinations at institutions subject to the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges for up to one year.
Do you want to know more?
For more information, read the Regulations Governing Examinations, Admission to Study and Degrees at Østfold University College