Academic Misconduct Procedure

UNIVERSITY OF SALFORD

ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT PROCEDURE

FOR STAFF USE

Academic Misconduct Procedure

All suspected cases of academic misconduct must be reported using the University of Salford’s notification of suspected academic misconduct proforma.

Plagiarism – taking the work of another person or source and using it as if it were one’s own
Self-plagiarism (or double submission) – re-submitting work previously submitted on one or more occasions without proper acknowledgement
Collusion – Excepting group projects – when two or more students consciously collaborate in the preparation and production of work and submitted to be representative of his or her individual efforts
Taking unauthorized material into an examination
Contracting another to write a piece of assessed work
Copying from or communicating with another candidate during an examination
Bribery

Clear evidence must be presented with the proforma. The Turnitin report must clearly show the aspect of the Academic Misconduct being cited. A hard copy, printed off in colour and clearly highlighted must be presented at the Academic Misconduct Panel. In some cases, a Turnitin login may be requested to allow closer inspection of the report. All cases of similarity of above 25% will be deemed serious cases.

All work must be marked according to the normal assessment criteria and marks should be awarded fairly. No marks will be deducted until the results of the Academic Misconduct Panel have concluded. However, if the assessed work is marked as a fail, this will not be overturned should there be no case to answer.

On completion of the proforma by the Academic member of staff at TMC, it should be forwarded to the email address a confirmation of receipt will be sent to the member of staff submitting the documentation.

The case will be reviewed by an internal panel and the panel will determine one of the following outcomes:

That there is no case to answer;
That it is a case of poor academic practice and additional training is required;
That there is evidence to indicate that academic misconduct may have occurred which requires further investigation.

Following that review, it will be forwarded to the relevant Head of School (or nominee) at the University of Salford. This person will review the notification and interim decision of TMC and will confirm or amend the decision reached by TMC.

If there is evidence to indicate that academic misconduct may have occurred, the case will be referred to either an Academic Misconduct Panel or to the University’s Disciplinary Panel if the case is deemed to be a ‘most serious’ case.

Where there is deemed to be no case to answer or examples of poor academic practice. A meeting will be arranged with student and tutor to review the Harvard referencing practice and to ensure that the student understands the issues that have arisen around the suspected case of academic practice.

a Head of School (or nominee), external to the School in which the Panel is located, as Chair (there will be a pool of trained University Chairs of AMPs).
The Director of Higher Education or nominee.
a student representative nominated by the University of Salford’s Students’ Union.
The student and their representative

The Secretary will record the outcome of the panel’s consideration using the Proforma for a Record of Consideration of an Allegation by the Academic Misconduct Panel
The Academic Misconduct Panel may decide to award an academic penalty if the case is proven which will need to be ratified by Board of Examiners.

Any meeting which a student is required to attend through the Procedure will normally be held at TMC.
Any Appeal of a decision of the Academic Misconduct Panel will be considered by the University Disciplinary Panel (see Section 11.2).
All decisions will be clearly communicated via the panel to the relevant curriculum areas.

Full details of University of Salford Academic Misconduct Procedure can be found at:

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