The Department and Plagiarism

Informing Students

• The department provides guidelines on plagiarism in this Handbook. Students are made aware of the university's policy.
• Students are given clear guidelines on how sources should be used and cited.
• Students sign a plagiarism declaration (on the essay cover sheet) indicating that they are aware of what constitutes plagiarism.

The Department's Stand

• Within the departmentplagiarism is a totally unacceptable practice, and is punished severely.
• Every year a substantial number of History students lose their DPs because of plagiarism.
• The onus is on you to make sure you have a clear understanding of what plagiarism is, and ignorance will not be considered a suitable defence.

What Happens if Students are Caught Plagiarising?

• If you plagiarise it is most likely that you will be found out. Essay markers will be on a constant alert for plagiarised work.
• 'Model' answers devised by a group and shared by members of the group, whether in assignments or exams, will also be heavily penalised.
• Copying another student's essay, or lifting material from a book, or an article, or downloading from the Internet without acknowledgement will result in your DP being withdrawn.
• If your DP isremoved because of plagiarismyour student transcript will indicate DPRP (DP refused for plagiarism) and a note will appear on your permanent student transcript that it was removed for plagiarism. Therefore potential future employers who see this transcript will note that you have a record of dishonesty.
• A list of students who have plagiarised will be kept in the department and will be available to other departments.
• The matter will also be taken further with the relevant university authorities and students may be rusticated from the university.