Academic Integrity
Academic Misconduct
Breaches in academic integrity are called academic misconduct. This often involves a student submitting work that is not their own, in whole or part, and can include: plagiarism, unauthorised use of generative artificial intelligence, contract cheating, collusion, reuse of previously assessed work, cheating in examinations, and aiding other students’ cheating. The University of Galway Academic Integrity Policy highlights various types of unethical activities all of which constitute academic misconduct (pp.1-2). Other examples of academic misconduct, some of which are facilitated by recent technological developments, are outlined in The Plagiarism Spectrum 2.0 (© Turnitin 2023). This infographic is adapted in table format below.
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Original Thinking (Not Plagiarism) |
Submitting assignments that are your own work, composed of original ideas built on attributed sources. |
| Inadvertent Plagiarism | Forgetting to properly cite or quote a source or unintentional paraphrasing. |
| Student Collusion | Working with other students when an assignment is meant for individual assessment. |
| Paraphrase Plagiarism | Rephrasing a source’s ideas without proper attribution. |
| Word-for-Word Plagiarism | Copying and pasting content without proper attribution. |
| Computer Code Plagiarism | Copying or adapting source code without permission and attribution to the original creator. |
| Self Plagiarism | Reusing one’s previously submitted or published work without proper attribution. |
| Source-based Plagiarism | Providing inaccurate or incomplete information about sources when they can be found. |
| Mosaic Plagiarism | Weaving phrases and ideas from a source into one’s own work. Adjusting sentences without quotation marks or attribution. |
| Manual Text Modification | Manipulating text with the intention of misleading plagiarism detection software. |
| Software-based Text Modification | Taking content written by another and running it through a software tool (text spinner, translation engine) to evade plagiarism detection. |
| Contract Cheating | Engaging a third party (for free, for payment, or in-kind) to complete an assignment and representing that as one’s own work. |
| Data Plagiarism | Falsifying or fabricating data or improperly appropriating someone else’s work, putting a research institution or publisher’s reputation in jeopardy. |
| Note about AI Writing Tools: While AI writing tools offer huge potential for creativity and innovation in the classroom, misconduct may occur when misrepresented. When students use AI-generated text without attribution and represent it as their own original work, it involves misreporting a source or academic integrity. | |
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It is important to recognise that the vast majority of students do not set out on their academic path with the intention of being unethical. The online University of Galway Academic Integrity Office Resources may be particularly useful if you are finding your studies difficult and would benefit from some support. These resources allow students receive support in an ethical manner and thereby avoid the risk of academic misconduct. There are also many services and resources offered by the Library that will help you maintain good academic integrity.
Continue to the next page to learn more about some of these resources and how to access them.
Academic Integrity is in Everyone’s Interest!
