Appendix 3 : Plagiarism and Cheating
Policy and Procedures Relating to Postgraduate Research Students

Deterring Plagiarism
  1. At doctoral level, staff should ensure that all students are actively aware of the demands of good academic writing, including plagiarism issues, and the expectations with regard to referencing within the particular discipline. It should be made clear to students both through skills sessions and in student handbooks what form of referencing/acknowledgement is acceptable for the discipline, within the UK system. Staff should be aware of cultural interpretations (where 'plagiarism' of learned scholars' work may be considered desirable in student's own work), and should not assume that all students, including those educated through the UK school system, will necessarily understand automatically that what we define as plagiarism is inherently 'wrong' - the expectation of what is acceptable at HE level in the UK HE system must be positively explained and reinforced. In advising students of plagiarism issues or academic writing more generally, staff should ensure that the language they use, while appropriate to the circumstances, is clear and unambiguous - references to 'the need to find one's own voice' or work being 'derivative' may not always be picked up by students.
Declaration of Authorship
  1. Theses, at the time of submission, should be accompanied by a signed declaration from the student that the material presented for examination is his/her own work and has not been submitted for any other award (and, where relevant, how it relates to a group project).
Procedures for Handling Suspected Cases of Cheating or Plagiarism by PGR Students in Written Work prior to the Final Thesis
  1. When allegations of cheating or plagiarism arise prior to the submission of the final thesis, for example work submitted as part of assessment of research training units, the procedures to be followed will be those for students on taught programmes. For allegations of cheating or plagiarism relating to a transfer thesis or other documentation submitted as part of the procedures for transferring from MPhil to PhD candidature, this will be investigated by the upgrade panel in consultation with the Head of School (under paragraph 4 to 8 below). In this instance, where it is established that plagiarism has been committed, the penalties that may be applied shall include: (i) a requirement to make amendments to the transfer thesis or other documentation within a specified timescale, addressing the plagiarised material, before upgrade to PhD candidature may be approved; (ii) in the severest cases, failure in the upgrade process and a recommendation for termination of programme.
Procedures for Handling Suspected Cases of Plagiarism in a Submitted Thesis for a Higher Degree
  1. Where plagiarism in a submitted thesis is alleged or suspected, the examiner identifying the suspected elements will consult with the other examiner, and the internal examiner will prepare and submit a report to the Head of School on the basis of this consultation. To determine whether further action is needed, the Head of School will institute an enquiry which may involve further consultation with the examiners and supervisor, and the Deanery, as necessary.

  2. If, on the basis of this enquiry, the Head of School concludes that further action is required, (s)he will appoint a formal Panel to investigate the allegation fully. This Panel will be drawn from members of the School not directly involved with the case, and should include a senior representative from the Faculty. If it appears that the case may involve cultural or other sensitivities, the Chair may co-opt an additional member able to advise on these issues, or otherwise seak advice as s/he sees fit.

  3. The student must be advised that a meeting is to be held to investigate the suspected case of plagiarism and that the student will be asked to offer an explanation to the Panel. The student will be invited to attend the meeting, accompanied by a member of the University if (s)he chooses. Students invited to attend such a meeting should be strongly encouraged to seek the advice of colleagues in the Advice and Information Centre of the Students' Union.

  4. The Panel will ask the internal examiner, on behalf of the examining team, to detail the reasons for suspecting plagiarism and the extent of the plagiarism in the thesis. The student will then be invited to respond, and the Panel may ask questions of both the internal examiner and the supervisor.

  5. The Panel will then consider in private the facts of the case. If necessary, the Panel may decide that further information or consultation is needed, for example with the external examiner; however, any new information which arises from these discussions must be shared with the student, normally in writing. The findings of the Panel should be discussed with the external examiner who, in cases where plagiarism is proven, should be consulted about the appropriate penalty to be applied.

  6. Where, in the Panel's view, it is established that plagiarism has been committed, the Panel will prescribe a penalty. Penalties that may be applied in cases where it is established that plagiarism has been committed shall include:

    9.1 a requirement to make amendments to the thesis within a specified timescale, addressing the plagiarised material;

    9.2 failure in the thesis and permission to re-submit a revised thesis within a specified timescale;

    9.3 failure in the thesis and termination of the course, with no right to re-submit.

  7. The student will be informed in writing of the Panel's decision.

  8. The decision of the Plagiarism Panel must be reported to the School Board.

  9. Should plagiarism be identified or suspected in a thesis subsequent to the award being made, the Head of School shall consult the Head of Legal Services as to the appropriateness of pursuing further enquiries and the most effective means of pursuing the matter if appropriate. Should plagiarism be proven in such an instance, Senate has the power to withdraw the award previously made.

  10. Students wishing to appeal against the decision of a plagiarism panel are referred to the Regulations Governing Appeals by Postgraduate Research Students.
Cheating
  1. Cases of suspected cheating will be dealt with according to the procedures outlined above. Possible examples of cheating may include collusion in the production of data for a thesis, creation of fictitious data for use in the thesis, etc. Should cheating be proven, penalties will apply as set out in paragraph 9 above, except that in para 9.1 the material to be addressed will be that which has been the subject of cheating.
Monitoring
  1. Numbers of plagiarism sub-groups held within the School, and the outcomes, should be monitored and reported to the Faculty as part of the annual operating statement monitoring process.

(Approved by Senate on 22 June 2005)