1999 Law Handbook

Cheating

Plagiarism

Students should note that cheating at the university is regarded as a very serious offence which is likely to lead not only to failure in the subject concerned but also to additional disciplinary action, including exclusion. Students should carefully note that the taking of any unauthorised material into examinations will be regarded as cheating. Students should also note that essays, assignments and other work are generally understood to be the student's own work and where any such work is identical with, or similar to, another student's work, an assumption of cheating may arise. Where students wish to undertake work in conjunction with other students, it is suggested that the matter be discussed with the lecturer concerned.

Plagiarism

All written work submitted for assessment must be students' own work. This does not mean that students may not make use of the work of others. However, in quoting or paraphrasing material from other sources, those sources must be acknowledged in full. It may be useful to seek the help of a teacher in preparing the piece of work and to enlist the help of fellow students in sorting out ideas, but the final product must be written by the student in his or her own words.
Plagiarism occurs when students fail to acknowledge that ideas have been borrowed. Specifically, it occurs when:
(a) phrases and passages are used verbatim without quotation marks and without a reference to the author;
(b) an author's work is paraphrased and presented without a reference;
(c) other students' work is copied;
(d) items of assessment are written in conjunction with other students (without prior permission of the relevant staff member);
(e) a piece of work has already been submitted for assessment in another course.
Plagiarism is an attempt to obtain undeserved academic advantage. Students suspected of plagiarism will be given the opportunity to explain their plagiarism in the company of the examiners. If the chief examiner believes that plagiarism has occurred, students will normally receive no marks at all for the piece of work concerned. Cases of deliberate plagiarism will be reported to the dean in accordance with faculty policy. Serious or repeated cases may be reported to the University Discipline Committee.
University policy on plagiarism and other forms of cheating is outlined in Part II of Statute 4.1 of the Statutes of the University (Monash University Calendar). See also E Campbell, R Fox and G Kewley, Guide to preparation and presentation of written work in the Law School. Students who are at all uncertain about what is required should consult their teacher.
The following hints will help students avoid plagiarism:

students should take accurate notes, distinguishing in these between their own ideas and the ideas of other writers;
in notes, as well as essays, quotation marks should be placed around all material that is copied out directly and the source noted;
any idea that is not their own should be footnoted by students, even if it is paraphrased or summarised and does not appear in quotation marks;
even when receiving advice from fellow students, the final product should be formulated by the student himself or herself.