Failing
If you fail two or more subjects you will be required to re-sit the whole year, again (except in Law, which have autumn re-sits). Also, if you fail one compulsory course for your degree, you may be required to sit the exam again in the following year along side your second year exams.
Plagarism
Plagiarism is viewed as cheating by the School and is heavily penalised. The penalty may be that you are not allowed to complete your degree. This could mean that if you plagiarise in your assessed work for one course, or part of an essay or dissertation all your other work will be wasted. It is surprisingly easy to plagiarise without realising it and very difficult to prove your innocence when this happens so take care with all your written work.
Plagiarism can range from inadequate referencing or sharing of notes with friends to taking someone else's essay, making minor alterations and submitting it as your own work. Plagiarism is defined below and we attempt to explain it.
All work submitted as part of the requirements for any examination must be expressed in your own words and incorporates your own ideas and judgements. Plagiarism is the presentation of another person's thoughts or words as if they were your own and must be avoided.
Direct quotations from the published or unpublished work of others must always be clearly identified as such by being placed inside quotation marks and a full reference to their source must be provided in proper form. Due to increasing use and sophistication of internet search engines it is now much easier for plagiarism to be spotted and even obscure texts can be found. We suggest you don't even consider it as an option.
A series of short quotations from several different sources, if not clearly identified as such constitutes plagiarism just as much as does a single unacknowledged long quotation from a single source. Equally, if you summarise another persons' ideas or judgements, you must refer to that person in your text and include the work referred to in your bibliography.
The rules surrounding plagiarism can be tricky - especially when it comes to referencing websites - so if you have any doubts or worries don't hesitate to contact your tutor/supervisor or the Teaching and Learning Centre.
If you are accused of plagiarism by the school you will be notified and expected to appear in front of a panel hearing. You are entitled to counsel and representation from the Students' Union and we suggest you contact the Education and Welfare Officer as soon as possible.
