Education planning and administration handbook - Chapter 10

Cheating and disciplinary measures

10.1 Cheating and plagiarism
10.2 Informing and preventing
10.3 Discovering and intervening
10.4 Disciplinary measures

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10.1 Cheating and plagiarism

Cheating and plagiarism

Important concepts

What constitutes cheating?

Examples of cheating include:

• unauthorised use of AI (artificial intelligence);
• using prohibited aids during written examinations;
• altering an already examination that has already been assessed;
• unauthorised collaboration between students on individual written assignments;
• copying other students’ assignments;
• plagiarism, i.e. including extracts without citing a source;
• fabricating information, i.e. making up facts;
• falsifying documents;
• falsely reporting presence at compulsory teaching components;
• claiming false study performance relevant to credit transfer assessment.

For something to be considered cheating, it must be misleading, which requires intent. The student in question must have intentionally tried to deceive the teacher.

This requires that the following apply:

• the act was deliberate (the student did not make a mistake or act carelessly);
• the student knew that the conduct in question was prohibited;
• that act took place at an examination or other assignment used to assess study performance.
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What constitutes plagiarism?

Plagiarism is copying another person’s texts or reproducing tables, images and other illustrations without naming the source. Using images and illustrations requires prior approval unless it is expressly stated that they may be freely used in academic contexts. Plagiarism is also reproducing a text verbatim without marking it as a quote, even if the source is stated.

Plagiarism is always wrong and can be considered cheating if it is done on purpose to mislead in the assessment of study performance.

It must be made clear what the student has produced and what has been copied (and possibly edited) from other sources. This is done by applying the correct citation and source-using technique. If a person uses another person’s text verbatim, this must be done using quotes – which must be framed by quotation marks or otherwise clearly indicated – and followed by a reference or note. Insufficient reference management may constitute cheating.

A student must also source reference their own material. If a student uses something they have written previously, for example in an essay or other course, they must include a reference to it.

Policy

SLU’s objective is to allow students to have an independent and critical approach to knowledge as well as develop general expertise in preparation for their professional life. One tool is student-activating teaching methods that develop students’ ability to find, assess and use information critically and scientifically. The objective and the working method both require a good knowledge of the rules of academic writing.

Clear guidelines are required for both students and teachers, especially for the different forms of examination.

All suspicions of cheating must be followed up with appropriate measures. See Section 10.3 Discovering and interveneing.

Who is responsible for what?

The vice-chancellor is primarily responsible for ensuring that SLU has a long-term plan to prevent cheating and plagiarism.

The SLU Library, in cooperation with the Educational Development Unit (EPU), is responsible for publishing information on cheating and plagiarism on the SLU web. Programme directors of studies are responsible for informing students on their respective programmes.

All SLU employees are obligated to follow the Higher Education Act and Higher Education Ordinance and contribute to measures to prevent cheating and plagiarism.

Course coordinators and examiners, especially those responsible for introductory programme courses and independent projects, have a great operative responsibility to implement SLU’s measures against cheating and plagiarism.

Students are required to conduct themselves in an honest manner when taking exams to enable a correct and fair assessment of their study performance.

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Policy

Information on cheating and plagiarism must be conveyed in a variety of forms to everyone concerned. It must be available on relevant SLU websites such as the staff web, the student web and the library web. Students and teachers must be made aware of this information at relevant times, e.g. in connection with larger student projects, written assignments or the like.

Teaching staff should use the following tools to prevent cheating and plagiarism:

• mindful teaching methods
• clear instructions for written assignments and independent projects (degree projects)
• well-thought-out examination formats
• information about and use of plagiarism detection tools.

Recurring activities

When the student registers on the web and is assigned an AD login, they must confirm that they have received the information on cheating and plagiarism.

The SLU Library and the Educational Development Unit (EPU) publish information on the SLU web on cheating and plagiarism, as well as on how to manage references properly. Self-study materials on cheating and plagiarism are available on the web.

Programme directors of studies, with the support of the SLU Library, inform all programme students, continually from their first year, about the rules for plagiarism and offer an introduction to academic honesty and integrity and reference management. This applies to programmes at both the first- and second-cycle levels.

Course coordinators and programme directors of studies ensure that all programme students carry out a written assignment during their first academic year to be run through the plagiarism detection tool. The plagiarism detection results are then discussed with the teacher. Students are informed that if they themselves send their texts to another plagiarism detection service, this may have a negative impact on the result.

Course coordinators are responsible for ensuring that written exams always contain information on cheating and plagiarism.

Programme directors of studies, with the support of the SLU Library, offer specialised instruction on reference management as well as research strategies, source critique and copyright as an integrated part of SLU degree programmes.

The SLU Library offers individual support on academic writing through the Centre for Academic Language.

Course coordinators and programme directors of studies, with the support of the SLU Library, teach academic writing.

Course coordinators inform exchange students and other non-programme students about plagiarism rules on courses where this is relevant.

Links

FAQs on suspending students

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10.3 Discovering and intervening

Important concepts

To help discover cheating and plagiarism, SLU offers special software for text matching (Ouriginal).

SLU rules

Detecting cheating

All independent projects (degree projects) at SLU are checked using Ouriginal before a pass grade is awarded; see also Chapter 9. Independent project (degree project).

Any work submitted by students at SLU may be run through the plagiarism detection tool for review.

Some important aspects to consider when determining whether cheating has taken place:

• The wording in the Higher Education Ordinance, “attempts to deceive”, means that the attempt need not necessarily be successful. Attempting is enough.
• Preparations such as preparing crib sheets or agreeing to cooperate do not constitute cheating. There must be an actual attempt to cheat.
• An act may constitute cheating even if it does not affect the student’s grade.
• If the student is negatively affected, e.g. if they use an incorrect crib sheet, this still constitutes cheating.
• The ordinance does not specify that cheating must benefit the student. This means that a student who, in a way that is not permitted, helps another student or reveals answers, is also cheating.
• Cheating need not be an active act, it can also be the failure to act if this actively misleads the teacher.
• The definition of “study performance” also includes earlier results that are a relevant part of the eligibility requirements, required for exemption from a compulsory component or for a credit transfer.

Measures against cheating

Suspected cheating

• Anyone who suspects cheating must immediately inform the course coordinator and the head of the department offering the course; they may also consult with the faculty programme director or programme director of studies. If the course coordinator and the examiner are not the same person, they must inform each other of cases of suspected cheating. They must also inform each other of the continued handling of such cases.

Investigating cases of suspected cheating

• To clarify whether there was an intent to cheat, or if the suspected cheating is due to a lack of knowledge or the student acting carelessly, the course coordinator, examiner or head of department must interview the student before the head of department decides to report the suspected cheating. In addition to the interview, further investigation may be needed to determine whether there are grounds for suspecting that cheating has taken place. Care must be taken to safeguard the rights and integrity of the individual.
• All contacts with different parties to the case must be documented in writing. All oral and written communication with the student must be factual. The identity of the student should not be revealed to staff who are not directly involved in the case.
• The sole task of the course coordinator and head of department is to investigate whether there are grounds for suspecting that cheating has taken place. It is not their task to determine how strong the evidence is or whether there are extenuating circumstances.
• When a case of suspected cheating is reported, the student will not be graded until the vice-chancellor or the disciplinary board has settled the matter. However, the student can participate in other examinations during the investigation period.
• The examiner has the right to declare the exam result invalid even if it has not been confirmed that the cheating was intentional, e.g. if prohibited aids have been used but the student was not aware of this.

Reporting cases of suspected cheating

• If there is reason to suspect cheating or plagiarism, the head of department at the responsible department must report this to the vice-chancellor as soon as possible.
• Reports are sent to the registrar (Registrator@slu.se or Registrator, Box 7070, 750 07 Uppsala). All written documentation of the case, including copies of the information on the course and its examination requirements provided to the students, should be attached to the report. The department must not keep any documentation in the case that it is required to archive and register. The department should keep all other documentation on the course and student performance.
• Each instance of suspected cheating is to be reported separately. If several students are suspected of having cooperated, one (1) report is submitted. If two separate instances of cheating are suspected at the same exam, two (2) reports should be submitted.
• If the student(s) suspected of cheating do(es) not speak Swedish, the report should be in English. 

After reporting

• The vice-chancellor determines whether the case is to be handled by the disciplinary board.
• A teacher cannot refuse to correct an exam because they do not agree with the opinion of the disciplinary board, e.g. if the teacher is convinced that cheating has taken place but the board has determined that this cannot be proved. Refusing to correct an exam may constitute malpractice.
• If cheating is discovered after the exam has been graded and the results reported, the examiner may review the grade.

Who is responsible for what?

All SLU employees are responsible for reporting cases of suspected cheating.

The examiner is responsible for checking students’ work using the plagiarism detection tool, but this usually takes place when the student submits material to their supervisor.

The head of department at the department offering the course must, as soon as possible, report cases of suspected cheating to the vice-chancellor, taking into account the following:

• The examiner for the course in question must always be informed.
• The programme director of studies in question must always be informed if the case concerns a programme student.
• Before reporting the case, the faculty programme director can be consulted for support.

Invigilators who notice suspected cheating during an exam must follow the procedures in Section 8.3 Rules for written examinations.

Links

Start page - Ouriginal

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10.4 Disciplinary measures 

Important concepts

Section 10.1 Cheating and plagiarism explains what is considered cheating and when it can lead to disciplinary measures.

Teaching, summative assessments and other activities relating to teaching and learning must not be affected, see Section 3.2 Learning environments.

SLU does not tolerate any form of discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment or other victimisation. This applies to both students and staff

National regulations

According to the Higher Education Ordinance, the following applies:

“Disciplinary measures may be invoked against students who

1. use prohibited aids or other methods to attempt to deceive during examinations or other forms of assessment of study performance
2. disrupt or obstruct teaching, tests or other activities within the framework of courses and study programmes at the higher education institution
3. disrupt activities in the library of the higher education institution or other separate establishments at the institution, or
4. subject another student or member of the staff of the higher education institution to harassment or sexual harassment of the kind laid down in Section 4 of Chapter 1 of the Discrimination Act (2008:567).

Disciplinary measures may not be invoked more than two years after the offence has been committed.”

SLU rules

The disciplinary measures for cheating are a warning or suspension for a maximum of six months. Only the disciplinary measures approved by the disciplinary board may be used.

• When suspended, a student cannot participate in exams, teaching or other activities within the framework of their studies.
• If there are scheduled exams during the suspension period, the student must wait until the next examination session after the period ends.
• While they are suspended, students cannot register on courses.
• They are not allowed to use university resources such as the library or IT services.
• However, they do have the right to contact study counsellors, the student ombudsman and the Student Health Centre.

Who is responsible for what?

Once a head of department has reported a case, the vice-chancellor determines whether the case will be referred to the SLU disciplinary board for decision. The disciplinary board decides on the consequences after investigating the case and interviewing the student.

As of the 2021 autumn semester, there will be a student ombudsman at SLU. The student ombudsman’s tasks include supporting students before and during the disciplinary board’s hearing of their case.

Once a decision on disciplinary measures has been taken, the Division of Educational Affairs is responsible for registering the suspension in Ladok. The student will also be suspended from Canvas during the period of suspension. The Division of Educational Affairs sends the decision on suspension to the course coordinators for all the student’s previous and uncompleted, current and future courses.

Links

Gender equality and equal opportunities at SLU

Guidelines for cases of suspected harassment of a student

FAQs on suspending students

Student mediators

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