Academic conduct and practice

Definition of Offences

An academic offence is defined as an act or failure to act that if undetected gives, or aims to give, an advantage over other students, or any behaviour which may deceive those setting, administering and marking a piece of work. Academic offences can take a number of forms including but not limited to:

• Plagiarism, including self-plagiarism:  Plagiarism is the act of represententing words, ideas, or work obtained from another source, without proper attribution or permission and presenting it as one's own original work. This can include copying and pasting text from a source without citation or attribution; paraphrasing source material without giving credit or by only changing a few words; using a concerpt or ideas obtained from another source without acknowldgement; or submitting another's work as your own.  Self-plagiarism is the act of reusing your own previosuly submitted work without citation.
• Collusion:  Collusion occurs where two or more students collaborate to produce work that is submitted as the individual work of one or more of the students. 
• Coercion: Coercion occurs when a student puts pressure on (or attempts to put pressure on) another student or member of staff to act in a particular way, with the intention of gaining an academic advantage. 
• Fabrication: Creation of false data, research or references with the intention of deceiving the marker.
• Falsification: Inappropriate manipulation or selection of data, images or consents with the intention of decieivng the marker. 
• Misrepresentation: Misrepresenting data, or the work of someone else as your own, in whole or in part. Note, evidence of an attempt to disguise any of the forms of plagiarism listed above (which might involve the use of paraphrasing systems or translation systems, or a translator or third party who acts as more than a proof-reader under the University’s regulations) will normally be treated more severely than plagiarism alone. 
• Contract Cheating: Contract cheating nvolves a student requesting a third-party to complete an assessment, or part of an assessment, on their behalf, which may or may not involve a commercial transaction.  
• Use or possession of unauthorised material in an assessment:  For example taking notes or electronic devices into an examination or assessment without expression to do so.
• Obtaining or sharing an examination paper ahead of its authorised release or obtaining/sharing another student's answer to an examination paper.
• Impersonation of another individal due to be sitting an assessment.

Academic Conduct Officers

Each Discipline appoints an Academic Conduct Officer and each College appoints a Senior Academic Conduct Officer who provide information and guidance on the academic conduct process and good academic practice, as well as conducting any academic conduct investigation. Please note that for matters relating to in person invigilated exam conduct you will need to contact studentcases@exeter.ac.uk instead of your departmental Conduct Officers.

Please find a list below of Senior Academic Conduct Officers and Academic Conduct Officers below:

Examination Misconduct

There are important rules concerning exam conduct that all students, regardless of Faculty or level of study, are expected to follow. These are available online her: Guidance to Candidates.

Students who are caught breaking this guidance will be treated in accordance with the University's Assessment, Progression and Awarding Handbook, Chapter 12 - academic conduct and practice, which lists the following offences specifically relevant to exams:

1. The use or possession of unauthorised books, notes, software, electronic devices or other materials in an examination (unless specifically permitted).
2. Obtaining an examination paper ahead of its authorised release.
3. Attempting to impersonate or impersonation of another individual, due to be sitting a specific assessment.

Specific offences that the University has a zero tolerance approach to are:

• The possession of any form of electronic device, which includes mobile phones, iPods or MP3 players and any form of smart watch on or near your person during an exam whether it be switched on or off and;
• Being in possession of unauthorised material. This may be notes about the topic, or formula written on a hand or arm or other materials found on or near your person.

Please remember electronic devices and/or unauthorised material and exams don't mix!