Real Life Scenarios
It is quite acceptable to discuss your studies with other students and to ask other people for certain kinds of help. However it is not acceptable to ask other people to do your work for you.
Are you still not sure what you can and cannot do? Consider the following scenarios.
A student says
My flat mate and I are doing the same subjects and so we talk about what we’re reading and learning about in class. That’s OK, isn’t it?
We reply
Of course that’s OK. Discussing your subject is a good way of consolidating your learning.
A student says
My flat mate and I write our assignments together, and, since we’re in different tutorials, we can hand in the same assignment and just change the name on the cover sheet. That’s not plagiarism, is it?
We reply
Yes, it is plagiarism! If it’s an individual assignment, it should be your own individual work.
A student says
I’m not always sure if I’ve structured my assignment in the way required, so I sometimes make an appointment to see an ELSSA Centre lecturer to get some guidance. That’s not plagiarism, is it?
We reply
Of course that isn’t plagiarism. If you’re unsure about how to structure an assignment, it’s a good idea to get some advice.
A student says
I’ve seen notices around the uni advertising help with assignment writing essays. If I pay what they ask, that’s not plagiarism, is it? It’s not like I’m stealing!
We reply
Yes, it is plagiarism. It’s passing someone else’s work off as your own.
A student says
I have a really good memory. I remember most of what I read although I can’t always remember where I read it. My essays are usually full of memorised passages. That’s not plagiarism, is it?
We reply
Yes, it is plagiarism. If you are using someone else’s words, you should put those words in quotation marks and provide reference details.
A student says
This is my first year at university in Australia. My friend did this subject last year. I read his final report for the major assessment task and it was really good. I copied a few paragraphs because he explained the problem and solution so well. That’s not really plagiarism, is it?
We reply
Yes, it is plagiarism. Copying from a friend’s assignment is plagiarism.
A student says
Sometimes I make careless spelling mistakes when I type my assignments. I can’t always find them when I read my assignments because I’m usually concentrating on the meaning. It’s OK to ask someone to proofread my assignment for typing mistakes, isn’t it? That’s not plagiarism, is it?
We reply
No, asking a friend to proofread is not plagiarism. In fact, it’s a good idea to ask someone else to check your writing for typing mistakes.
A student says
I always do the research for my assignments and make notes on what should be in the answer, but I get my sister to write the final report because her English is much better than mine. That’s not plagiarism, is it?
We reply
Yes, it is plagiarism. If someone else writes an assignment for you, it is their words not yours. You are passing off someone else’s words as your own.
A student says
My boyfriend has had some family problems this semester and has had to make several trips home. Because of that he’s had to work more hours in his part-time job. To help him out, I wrote part of his assignment for him. I won’t be in trouble for plagiarism, will I?
We reply
Yes, you will. A student who assists another student to plagiarise can also be penalised.