Academic misconduct

As a student at The Open University, it is essential to uphold the academic standards expected of you. Failing to do so could result in an accusation of academic misconduct. Below is some information about what constitutes academic misconduct, how the university identifies it, and what to do if you are accused.

Types of academic misconduct

Academic misconduct can take various forms. Below are the key types you should be aware of:

Plagiarism: Using someone else’s words, ideas, or work without proper acknowledgment and presenting them as your own.

Self-plagiarism: reusing parts of your own work without acknowledging or clearly indicating it has been previously submitted or published.

Enabling plagiarism: sharing your work with another student for them to gain ideas from or even copy parts.

Collusion: working too closely with individuals to help solve or answer a task or question. This could result in a joint answer which may or may not be intentional.

Contract cheating: the use of a third party or online service such as essay mills, to produce the work.

Unauthorised use of generative AI or automated tools: the use of AI to help write your work, by either ‘tweaking’ it, or writing it from scratch. Generative AI can be confusing so please look at the university’s webpage for more information.

Falsification: presenting information or data that you know to be incorrect but presenting it as true.

Academic misconduct can either be intentional or unintentional. For example, it may be that you didn’t reference correctly or write enough in your own words (paraphrase), which could lead you to be flagged for academic misconduct.

For more detailed information, refer to the university’s  academic conduct policy.

How does the university identify academic misconduct?

To maintain academic integrity, the university uses two types of text comparison for assignments: Copycatch and Turnitin. These tools scan your assignments and compare them to a database of other student submissions, published materials, and online content.

If either system detects significant similarities or potential issues, a report is generated and reviewed by your module team. They will take context into account, and if necessary, may suggest additional support for your academic writing. In cases of more serious misconduct, the report may be referred to the Academic Conduct Officer (ACO) for further investigation.

What happens if i get accused of academic misconduct?

If you are accused of academic misconduct, it’s important to stay calm. We understand the process can be intimidating, but our Individual Representation team can help support you through it. Here’s what to expect:

Initial action: The university will write to you, informing you that your assignment has been flagged for possible academic misconduct, and it is under review. In most cases, your TMA or EMA result will be postponed while you are being investigated for possible Academic Misconduct.

Investigation: The assignment will be examined thoroughly, and if plagiarism or other misconduct is suspected, you will then receive an email from the ACO.

Your response: You will have the opportunity to respond to this with your explanation of how the potential academic misconduct occurred. Our Student Advisors at the Individual Representation Service (IRS) are available to support you through this.

Decision: The ACO will review your explanation and make their decision on whether any penalties should be applied.

Appeals: If you disagree with the decision, you have the right to appeal, however there are certain grounds for appeal. The Individual Representation Service (IRS) can help guide you through the appeals process.

Tips for avoiding academic misconduct:

To ensure you avoid any form of academic misconduct, consider the following advice:

Understand referencing: Read the guidance on referencing  available through the University’s library site.

Develop good academic practices: The Developing Good Academic Practice module provides detailed guidance on good academic practice and how to approach your studies.

Seek help early: Ask your tutor for help straight away if you’re not sure what you’re doing.

Keep track of sources: Keep a record of all the sources you have read and looked through. This makes referencing easier and ensures you can properly acknowledge all your sources – otherwise it will be considered as plagiarism.

Time management: Allow enough time to prepare, research and write your work. Rushed work increases the likelihood of errors.

Review tutor feedback: Thoroughly look through your tutors’ feedback on assignments, which may include notes to help with your referencing.

Pre-submit your work to Turnitin: Students can check their work through Turnitin before submission to the tutor. It is worth doing this, it will allow you to identify any concerns which you can amend before submitting.