Academic Integrity for students

A UWA degree has prestige in the wider community because of the commitment made to the principles of academic integrity in line with the Universities Australia Principles on academic integrity. Future employers can be assured that UWA promotes academic integrity and expects students to behave honestly in the pursuit of their studies whilst taking responsibility for the integrity of their work.

Why is Academic Integrity important?

You are investing your time and effort in studying for a degree, which will be a stepping stone to success in your chosen field or career. What you learn at UWA will set the foundation for your professional knowledge and practice. Therefore, it is important to give yourself the best chance of success by doing your assessment tasks with an honest attitude, and to avoid bad consequences like failing an assignment or being asked to leave the university.

The University is keen to maintain an educational environment that is marked by equity and transparency for all students. It therefore has a clear policy relating to student academic integrity. Students and staff should inform themselves about this policy (links below) and their associated rights and responsibilities whenever instances of a breach of academic integrity occurs.

What are my responsibilities?
As a UWA student you are a member of this University community, and you are asked to work to uphold the principles of academic integrity during your course of study.

The University Policy on Student Rights and Responsibilities, which sets out the expectations and responsibilities of students, specifically states that: “Every student has the responsibility to respect and uphold principles of scholarly integrity and adhere to the principles of ethical scholarship and academic integrity during the course of their studies at UWA”.

All students have a responsibility to:
1. Familiarise themselves and act in accordance with this policy and expectations, and those of relevant programs and courses, by using the information and guidance provided by the University and staff;
2. Meet any University requirements for students to undertake ethical scholarship training made available by the University, and seek additional assistance if needed;
3. Submit original work for assessment which meets the requirements of Academic Integrity; and
4. Avoid all acts which could be considered or perceived as academic misconduct.
Types of academic misconduct
Academic misconduct can take many forms (and not limiting to the following), some of which you may undertake accidentally:
- Plagiarism
- Collusion
- Contract cheating, including use of file sharing site
- Cheating in exams
- Academic deceit such as misrepresentation, unethical data use and falsification/fabrication of data
- Sharing copyright course material
Remember, you always need to acknowledge where ideas were first presented, even if you were the original source.

Minimising academic misconduct (including plagiarism and other forms of cheating) is an important part of the University's commitment to extend positive educational approaches among students that will help reduce any instances of academic misconduct.
Quick Reads for students: Five top tips to succeed in your first year of university
Chisari, M. (2019, February 25). Five top tips to succeed in your first year of university. The Conversation. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/five-top-tips-to-succeed-in-your-first-year-of-university-112135
How to avoid Academic Misconduct
The following resources can help you to better understand the importance of academic integrity and how to avoid academic misconduct
Have you completed ACE (Academic Conduct Essentials)?
A student must successfully complete the ACE module within the first teaching period of their enrolment. Failure to complete the module within this timeframe will result in the student's unit results from this teaching period being withheld. These results will continue to be withheld until students avail themselves of a subsequent opportunity to achieve a passing grade in the ACE module. In the event that students complete units in subsequent teaching periods without completing the ACE module, these results will similarly be withheld. Students will not be permitted to submit late review or appeal applications regarding results which have been withheld for this reason and which they were unable to access in the normally permitted review period.
Student Contact
If you become aware of an instance of academic misconduct, please contact the School Academic Integrity Officer [PDF 101KB]. Include in your e-mail the name of the student who you think may be cheating, the unit it refers to and details of the academic misconduct. The more information you include the better for an investigation. You can also seek support from your Tutor or Unit Coordinator.
Related Policies, Procedures and Regulation
Further Information