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Policy for Cheating, Malpractice and Plagiarism in Relation to Teaching and Learning

Purpose

· To set out definitions/interpretations of cheating, malpractice and plagiarism in relation to teaching and learning.
· To set out the rights and responsibilities of learners, tutors and assessors in relation to cheating, malpractice and plagiarism with regards to learning.
· To set out procedures for handling suspected cheating, malpractice and plagiarism in relation to teaching and learning.

Values

Every effort should be made to ensure learners; tutors and assessors are informed about appropriate study approaches to prevent the incidence of cheating, malpractice and plagiarism in teaching and learning. 

Information about appropriate study approaches and cheating, malpractice and plagiarism in teaching and learning should be expressed and explained in language and situation appropriate to each individual learner. 

Any suspected incidence of cheating, malpractice and plagiarism in teaching and learning should be investigated in a manner that supports the individual to understand and account for the incident without prejudgment.

Scope and Definitions

A. Cheating constitutes any action whereby a learner deliberately seeks to gain advantage by: taking unauthorised information or equipment into a test or examination; submitting work for assessment done by a third party as one’s own (including using IT to do so and/or paying for work from another source).

B. Malpractice constitutes any action that deliberately disrupts fair and equal opportunity for assessment or examination by:

Learners: interfering with or gaining unauthorised access to assessment papers prior to the designated time; destroying the work of another learner (paper/electronic/video etc); acting in a disruptive manner in the context of assessment/qualifications/test.

Tutors/Assessors: breaking the assessment regulations of the Awarding Body; acting in a manner that undermines the integrity of assessment; assisting learners with the production of answers – this would include providing the work of another learner taking the same assessment to use as a model for submission; failing to keep learners’ work safe (paper/computer/audio etc.).

C. Plagiarism constitutes submitting work that is not one’s own, without indicating or recognising this to the marker (acknowledging your sources). This might occur by: using a choice phrase or sentence come across elsewhere; copying word-for-word directly from a text; paraphrasing the words from a text very closely; using text downloaded from the internet; borrowing statistics or assembled facts from another person or source; copying or downloading figures, photographs, pictures or diagrams without acknowledging their sources; copying from the notes or essays of a fellow student; copying from your own notes on a text, tutorial, video or lecture that contain direct quotations.

Please Find JCQ Guidance Here  

Procedures

StreetVibes Media Academy (SV) recognises that the temptation for cheating, malpractice or plagiarism may arise from lack of self-confidence or misunderstanding of the aims and conditions of the assessment /test/examination. Plagiarism, in particular, may happen inadvertently due to learner inexperience.

Stage 1

· All relevant learners should receive appropriate guidance through their tutor concerning the preparation of work and the correct use and referencing of sources.
· All relevant tutors, learners and course organisers/administrators should receive appropriate guidance on assessment/test/examination conditions.
· All relevant tutors and learners should be informed about the SV’s Policy on Cheating, Malpractice and Plagiarism and the consequences of such behaviour.

Stage 2

· Any person suspected of plagiarism, cheating or malpractice shall be made fully aware by a SV representative, in writing, at the earliest opportunity of the nature of the allegation. Care must be taken to ensure that the format and language is fully accessible to the recipient.
· Any person suspected of cheating or malpractice shall be presented with all evidence against them. Any person suspected of cheating or malpractice must have an opportunity to respond – personally, with an agreed advocate and/or in writing within an agreed timescale.
· Cheating is behaviour deemed to be deliberate. Care must be taken when dealing with vulnerable learners to ensure full understanding of the boundaries of such behaviour. In such situations and where behaviour is not clearly deliberate, the learner will receive a written warning and have an opportunity to re-submit the work. Should there remain doubts concerning the integrity of the work, then the learner will be informed in writing that Stage 3 of the process will commence.

Stage 3

1. Allegations of cheating, malpractice and/or plagiarism to be reported to the Awarding Body in writing.
2. A Regional Manager and/or responsible third party to carry out an investigation into the allegation.
3. Where Awarding Body Regulations have been contravened, then a representative of the Awarding Body may wish to be involved in the investigation.
4. An investigation may involve discussion with the learner.
5. The person at the centre of the investigation will have the opportunity to respond in writing to allegations made.
6. A written report of the investigation and recommended actions will be sent to all parties.
7. The person at the centre of the investigation will be informed of the Appeals Procedure should the judgement be found against him/her.
8. Where Awarding Body Regulations have been contravened, then the Awarding Body may wish to impose sanctions on the future involvement of that person in assessments.

Sanctions in the Event of Cheating, Malpractice or Plagiarism

Learner Sanctions will be applied proportionate to the seriousness of the behaviour.

A learner may lose credit for the individual unit or for all units in the qualification.

A learner may be disqualified from completing the qualification.

A learner may be barred from submitting work or taking an examination towards the qualification for a period of time.

Tutor/Assessor Sanctions will be applied proportionate to the seriousness of the behaviour.

A tutor may be withdrawn from teaching/assessing the individual course.

A tutor may be barred from teaching/assessing that qualification in the future.

A tutor may be served with warning of disciplinary action by the region and those procedures will begin.

This Policy should be viewed with reference to our other policies: Assessment, Appeals & Procedure Policy, Internal Verification Policy, Controlled Assessment Policy, Examinations Policy and Teaching, Learning & Assessment Policy.

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This policy is reviewed annually. This policy was last revised 3rd September 2022.