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Understanding academic misconduct
Understand the different stages of the Academic Conduct process and how to respond when an allegation is made against you.
What is academic misconduct?
Any attempt by a student to gain an unfair advantage over another student or help another student gain an unfair advantage is considered a breach of the University's Code of Academic Conduct.
Types of academic misconduct include:
- Poor academic practice
- Plagiarism
- Self-plagiarism
- Collusion
- Cheating
- Contract cheating
- Trading material or writing for others
- Fabrication of falsification of data
- Breaches of confidentiality and/or unethical practice
- Dishonest or unfair practice
What happens if an allegation of academic misconduct is made against me?
You will receive a notification informing you there will be a meeting arranged to discuss the allegation(s).
You may or may not be asked to attend the meeting, depending on the kind of meeting held. The type of meeting will be determined by the nature of the allegation(s) and whether there have been any investigations of academic misconduct previously.
There are three types of meetings that can take place if you are accused of academic misconduct:
1. Preliminary Meeting
If there are concerns about whether you have produced the work yourself but there is no clear evidence of misconduct, you will be asked to attend a Preliminary Meeting with your tutor to discuss the work you've submitted. Another member of staff should also be present to take notes of the meeting, which may then be used as evidence if the allegation is escalated to another type of meeting.
The email you receive to invite you to the meeting is unlikely to include much detail about the concerns, and during the meeting you should not be presented with any evidence. The meeting is intended as a discussion about the work you submitted to try and establish whether you produced the work yourself.
During the meeting you will be asked questions about the content of your assignment; this may include questions about the arguments you make, how you went about producing the work, and the sources you used.
To prepare for the meeting, we recommend refamiliarising yourself with your work to ensure you're ready to discuss this with your tutor and can answer any questions you're asked. If you're unable to demonstrate understanding of the work, the allegation(s) can be escalated to the next stage of the process.
Outcomes from a preliminary meeting:
- No further action - Staff are satisfied you've produced the work yourself.
- Referral to an Academic Concern Meeting or Academic Conduct Panel - Concerns remain about the authorship of your work.
2. Academic Concern Meeting
This meeting is held when there are concerns about your academic skills and evidence to suggest there has been a minor breach of the academic integrity regulations.
These meetings can involve allegations of poor academic practice such as a lack of understanding of academic protocols and referencing. Your Course Leader (or a nominee) and a Secretary from Registry Services will attend. The Module Leader or marker may also be there. There will be a written record of the meeting. You will be asked to answer to the concern which has been raised about your work.
At this stage it is not required to submit any written evidence, however if you wish to submit a written response to the allegation(s) and/or any evidence you think would be helpful for staff to see, such as draft copies of your work or evidence of your research, then you can do so. You would have to submit this evidence at least two working days before the meeting.
Outcomes from an Academic Concern Meeting:
- No case to answer - Allegations are dropped.
- Notice to Improve - You may be assigned compulsory engagement with academic integrity or library skills training.
- Referral to Academic Conduct Panel - Allegations are escalated.
3. Academic Conduct Panel
An Academic Conduct Panel is held to address allegations of misconduct in coursework or examinations. You will be notified of allegations of academic misconduct by an email which will also include the date of the meeting and your deadline to submit your response, as well as attachments that explain and evidence the allegation against you.
At this stage you will not attend the meeting but will send a written response to the allegation(s) based on which the Panel will decide on an outcome. You should also submit any evidence that you think is relevant.
How should I respond to an Academic Conduct Panel?
This information is targeted at writing a response form for an Academic Conduct Panel but may also help you to prepare for an Academic Concern Meeting.
Step 1 Read the allegation(s) against you and check any accompanying evidence.
Step 2 Read the University's Academic Conduct Regulations. SU Advice can help you understand these documents if you're unsure about them.
Step 3Read our full guide to completing an Academic Conduct Panel response for guidance on what to include in each section of the response form.
Step 4 Check the deadline date for responding; ensure you allow time to seek advice and prepare your response.
Step 5 Draft your response form and gather any supporting evidence. Ensure your statement engages with and directly addresses the allegation(s) and evidence against you.
Step 6 Send a copy of your draft response to us at SU Advice. Include any evidence and forward us the initial allegation email, including all attachments.
Step 7 Allow us 3 working days to provide feedback.
Step 8 Submit your Response Form to the University. You'll find their email address in the initial allegation email.
Step 9 The Panel meets on the date notified of by email.
How will the Academic Conduct Panel make the decision?
The Panel will make a decision based on the documentary evidence provided, including the evidence included in the email notifying you of the allegation(s), your response form, and the evidence you provide.
They will take into consideration the following factors when deciding the outcome:
- Your intention - Did you intend to gain an unfair advantage by your actions or was it the result of a mistake or misunderstanding?
- Academic background - Your level of study and previous experience of UK higher education will be considered to assess whether any mistakes resulting in misconduct were reasonable.
- Extent - Does the misconduct relate to the whole assessment or to a small section of the work? How much of the work could be considered your own independent work?
- Previous upheld allegations - If you have had previous upheld allegations, the sanction given may be more serious.
- Reflection - Have you shown an understanding of the allegation(s) and the importance of academic integrity? Have you accepted responsibility for breaching the Code of Academic Conduct?
- Mitigating circumstances - Were there any exceptional circumstances impacting your ability to complete the work?
What happens after the Academic Conduct Panel meets?
You should receive an email detailing the outcome of the Academic Conduct Panel within 5 working days of the Panel date. This will include any sanctions and the reason the Panel came to their decision.
Outcomes from an Academic Conduct Panel:
- No further action - Allegations are dropped. No record will be kept on your student file.
- Notice to Improve - You'll be provided with advice on how to develop better academic practices and skills. The allegation(s) will remain on your student file for the duration of your studies. Your work will be given a mark reflecting the academic merit of the work that is original content. No mention of this will be made in any reference requests.
- Sanction applied to the assessment - Sanctions can be serious and may affect your progression or grades. The full list of sanctions is included in the University's Academic Conduct Regulation.
You should follow the instructions in the email and respond to academicconduct@shu.ac.uk within 5 working days.
- Confirm your acceptance of the sanction, or
- Confirm you are not in agreement with the sanction and are requesting to attend a Panel to present your case.
If you need more time to respond whilst you seek advice from us:
- Email academicconduct@shu.ac.uk. Please note, they may not always agree to extend the timescale.
- Seek advice without delay - forward a copy of the outcome and the Academic Conduct Panel meeting notes (if any) to SU Advice. It can take up to 3 working days for us to respond during busy periods.
- Tell us why you disagree with the decision so we can advise.
We can provide advice and guidance about University policies and procedures.
We cannot tell you what we think the outcome will be. We are not involved in the decision-making process and cannot influence the outcome.
If you are unsure how the outcome or sanction impacts you or your studies, contact your Student Support Adviser via Hallam Help. We do not have access to information about your studies.
If you felt our advice helped (or didn't help), tell us why and let us know the outcome. It is helpful to know whether our advice helped and how we can improve our service.
What if I am unhappy with the outcome?
You can either accept or reject the sanction given. If you reject the outcome, you will be able to attend a Review Panel.
At this meeting you should be given the opportunity to present any new evidence and further explanation as to how you produced the work, including any extenuating circumstances that affected your assignment. You can also ask for clarification if you're unsure about what any aspect of the allegation(s) or evidence means, and the Panel will also have the opportunity to ask you questions about your work.
Based on the information submitted beforehand and the discussion at the meeting, the Review Panel will consider whether they think the initial sanction is appropriate or not and, if not, decide on a new sanction. Please note that although rare, a more severe sanction could potentially be deemed appropriate as well as the possibility of one less severe.
You can take a supporter to the meeting with you - please contact SU Advice as soon as possible if you would like one of our Advisers to attend a Review Panel with you.
If you are still unhappy following the review, you can appeal the decision.
How to complete an Academic Conduct Student Response Form
Work through the following steps to tackle each section and get your Academic Conduct Response Form submitted with confidence.
You can prepare for an Academic Concern meeting in the same way.
We strongly recommend you complete the Student Response Form ahead of the meeting - if you do not do so, the Panel will decide whether the allegation is proven/unproven and what sanction they deem appropriate based on the evidence sent by the University, without your response to this.
Section 1 - Personal details
Provide your name and student number.
Section 2 - Do you understand the allegation(s) against you?
Read the allegation pro-forma and evidence provided by the University to ensure you understand the allegation(s) against you.
Read the University's Academic Conduct Regulation, and guidance on AI use if the allegation relates to the use of AI.
If you do not understand the allegation(s), please contact SU Advice and we can help clarify any part you're unsure of.
Without a clear understanding of the allegation(s), you will not be able to accept or deny the allegation(s) or provide answers to the concerns raised.
If you submit a response form without understanding the allegation(s), you can explain this - the academic conduct process provides you with an opportunity to learn from mistakes and improve your academic skills.
Sometimes you may be unaware your actions are considered academic misconduct, but it is still a breach of the academic conduct regulations. Where this is the case, ensure you take time to think about how you will improve your awareness of academic regulations to avoid this happening again.
Section 3 - Mitigating circumstances
Confirm whether you are submitting details of mitigating circumstances in addition to responding to the misconduct allegation(s).
Outline any relevant mitigating circumstances, including when they occurred, how they impacted you (in relation to any misconduct you accept), and how they may have led you to carry out the misconduct.
If possible, provide evidence as outlined in the University's Exceptional Circumstances Policy.
Written response to the allegation(s)
You can write a written response to the allegation(s) - use headings and bullet points to structure your response if it helps. There is no word limit, but a brief response may be more effective at communicating your main points compared to a long response.
Avoid using AI to write your response. The University want to know you've engaged with and understood the process, and any response written by AI will not demonstrate this.
Suggested structure of your response:
1. Do you accept or disagree with the allegation(s)? Why?
If an allegation is true, take responsibility and express regret.
If you are guilty of misconduct, the evidence is likely to show this, so be as honest as possible; the University will take your honesty into consideration when deciding on a suitable sanction.
If you believe an allegation is untrue, deny it and explain why. Provide any evidence that supports your denial.
2. Address the allegation(s)
Respond to the points made in the pro-forma and evidence you've been sent, especially if you are denying some or all of these. At this stage, the Panel will not have the opportunity to ask you any questions before deciding upon an outcome, so if you do not respond to points made in the allegation(s) then the Panel will only have the allegation(s) to refer to.
Explain the extent of any misconduct, i.e. if you accept plagiarism or incorrect use of AI in part of an assessment but not all, explain which parts of your work are affected.
Explain what happened. Even if you did not intend to plagiarise, i.e. you did not reference correctly, it still counts as plagiarism. You may find it helpful to go back and look at the sources you used. For example, when re-reading your work, can you see you have forgotten to reference some sections entirely? Or did you attempt to paraphrase some copied text but had issues with this?
You may be provided with your Turnitin report, which can help highlight the sections of concern that you will need to address in your response.
You may also find it helpful to explain how you usually prepare and write your assignments to explain how the plagiarism has taken place. For example, if you cut and paste directly from the internet, or you take notes from sources word for word and then use these notes to put your work together, this may explain how the problem has arisen. If you wrote this piece of work differently than you would normally, explain this.
If the allegation relates to use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) then you should explain your use of AI in your statement - if you used AI, which programme you used if so, and what you did or did not use it for. You should also explain whether you thought you were allowed to use AI in such a way for your assessment, and where you took this guidance from.
Many students are unsure about the correct use of AI and how to reference the programmes they've used in their work - if this is the case, explain this in your statement.
3. Explain any circumstances the Panel might take into consideration when deciding on a sanction
This can include:
Level of study
The Panel may view cases more seriously where the student is a postgraduate student or a 2nd or 3rd year undergraduate. If this is your first year at Sheffield Hallam and your inexperience of academic assessments at this level contributed to the misconduct, explain this in your statement.
Your previous learning background
- If you are an international student with no experience of the UK academic conventions, explain this in your statement.
- If you have any learning difficulties that make it difficult for you to reference, explain this.
- If you asked for help but still struggled, or feel you didn't receive the help you asked for, explain your barriers.
- If you were unable to ask for help, explain what prevented you.
Intent
The Panel will consider whether the act was planned in advance - whether you intended to gain an unfair advantage or whether this was a mistake. If it appears you planned and considered your actions, this will be taken more seriously. It is important to explain what you were thinking whilst you wrote and submitted your work. However, if you have extenuating circumstances, explain why you were not thinking clearly at the time. See the section on this below.
Be honest about your intentions. Some types of academic misconduct are less likely than others to be accepted as being a mistake you were not aware of, or as being unplanned.
Extent of misconduct
For example, if you have copied a few sentences the Panel are likely to take this less seriously than if you have copied several pages, or if you used AI for help with part of your assessment but not the whole thing.
Acknowledge that you have breached the Code of Academic Conduct.
You should read and refer to the University's Academic Conduct Regulation in your statement.
Mitigating circumstances
If something happened in your life which impacted the assessment you have received the allegation(s) for, you can include that in your statement. You may have been experiencing something difficult which resulted in you working in a different way than you would normally, or which meant you behaved differently than usual. If you have mitigating circumstances, it is advisable to include any evidence you have of this situation.
If you are struggling with your evidence or how to explain the issues you had, please contact SU Advice for support.
Note that mitigating circumstances will not affect whether the allegation is upheld or not, but they may be taken into account when deciding on a sanction if the allegation is upheld.
4. Explain the steps you will put in place to demonstrate you have learnt from the experience
Reflect on the situation, take accountability, and explain how you will try to avoid further misconduct.
Some suggested ideas:
- Working independently in the library.
- Not discussing or sharing your assessed work, or the work you are preparing for assessment, with other students.
- Attending study skills workshops at The Skills Centre.
- Familiarising yourself with the referencing rules and the University's Academic Conduct Regulations.
- Working on your time management so you do not run out of time to complete your work/referencing.
- Exploring relevant support services that can help if you are struggling with your work or life circumstances.
- If the allegation relates to use of AI, improving your understanding of the correct use of AI in academic work.
Information about The Skills Centre and the University's support services can be found on My Hallam.
5. Provide evidence to support your statement
Evidence may include drafts of work made when preparing your assignment or evidence of extenuating circumstances.
The type of evidence that may be helpful is dependent on the allegation(s) against you - please contact SU Advice if you're unsure whether evidence may be helpful in your case or not.
Send a copy of your draft response to us at SU Advice to review. Include any evidence and forward us the initial allegation email, including all attachments. Allow us 3 working days to provide feedback.
If you would like further advice or help with your statement, please contact us at SU Advice. We can review and provide feedback on your draft statement before you submit it to the Panel (subject to availability).
Section 4
Date your Student Response Form.
Submit your Form to the University. You'll find their email address in the initial allegation email.
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The information in this guide and on our web pages is given in good faith and has been carefully checked. However, SU Advice cannot accept responsibility for any action you take based on the information provided.
If you require the information in a different format, please contact SU Advice.