Cheating is never the answer – you risk facing these consequences!
Having trouble completing your assessment and feeling the pressure of deadlines? It may be tempting to seek outside help such as having someone else write your assessment, copying someone’s work or relying entirely on an AI tool. But doing so is unfair to yourself and other students and puts your studies and career in danger.
Instead, we are here to support you in completing and succeeding in your studies the right way.
Why academic integrity is important
Upholding academic integrity helps protect Deakin’s reputation as a world-class university and the value of your degree as you pursue your career and goals.
Breaching academic integrity is cheating and academic misconduct, so make sure you always act, communicate and submit assessments in an ethical and honest way. Your submitted assessments need to be your own work in your own words. It is vital you always attribute and reference other people’s work you have used as sources. To find out more:
- Read through the Academic integrity webpage.
- If you’re a commencing student, complete your Academic Integrity Module.
You’ve come to university to learn and be recognised for the skills you gain. Cheating will only make things harder for yourself as you continue your studies or into a career without those skills and knowledge.
Cheating could ruin your degree and career
Deakin has sophisticated cheating detection methods and tools which means we have caught students who tried to cheat, and these students faced major consequences. If you cheat, you put yourself at the risk of:
- Failing your current unit or course
- Being suspended or permanently excluded from studying at Deakin and potentially other universities
- Losing your professional accreditation – if contract cheating is on your record, many professions won’t ever let you register to practise, limiting your future career path and prospects
- Being extorted by cheating service operators – the people who supply your assessment can force you to pay even more money by threatening to report you to the University
- Losing your student visa – if you’re an international student, any instances of academic misconduct could lead to the cancellation of your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) and your student visa.
Our tools and methods for detecting cheating are constantly improving. We can detect cheating from previous study periods or even years. So why put yourself through the ongoing risk and stress of one day being caught?
What happens if you’re investigated?
You’ll be informed if you’re investigated for an alleged breach of academic integrity. You will have your chance to respond and tell your side of the story before a decision is made. Strict timeframes apply, so ensure you read any email you receive from Deakin and follow the instructions carefully.
- Familiarise yourself with the Breaches of academic integrity webpage and the Student Academic Integrity or Student Research Integrity procedures
- You may choose to accept a standard outcome offered to you or ask for a review meeting
- Deakin University Student Association (DUSA) advocates are available free of charge if you need help understanding the process.
Seek help the right way
We’re here to offer you a range of support in completing and succeeding in your studies in the right way.
- If you need help with an assessment or improving your study skills, Study support has online resources, student mentors and staff available.
- We have quality medical centres, counselling services and a range of other services available to support your health and wellbeing.