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).

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 website of the University of Galway Academic Integrity Office includes a section on resources that 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!