When you do your work at university you will be expected to do it in a way that is honest and fair. You will also want to approach your work in a way that is effective – so that you learn deeply and understand your subject well. These effective approaches to learning are what we call ‘good academic practices’.
To ensure the value of your degree qualification, all universities take steps to make sure that nobody cheats or submits work for assessment that doesn’t meet the highest standards of academic integrity. When work doesn’t meet these standards, we refer to it as ‘poor academic practice’, or in cases of outright cheating, an ‘academic offence’. There are Academic Practice Officers in each of the faculties whose job it is to ensure standards are maintained at the highest level.
Sometimes we find that students may try to do the right thing, but aren’t sure how to go about it. In particular, the advent of generative AI means it can be confusing to know what is acceptable and what is unacceptable.
The guide below will help you understand what you need to do to avoid ‘poor academic practice’ so that you learn effectively and produce work of the highest standard.
First, work your way through the Guide to Good Academic Practices. This will help you understand how to approach your academic work in a way that is effective and meets the standards for academic integrity that the university expects.
Then, when you are ready, you can have a go at the Good Academic Practices Quiz. This will give you ten multiple choice questions based on common scenarios. Put your knowledge to the test and then review your answers. If you still don’t understand, review the Guide again, or come to the assignment drop in (in the library or online) to talk about it with a member of our learning support team.
By working through the Guide and doing the Quiz, you can gain a good understanding of what is acceptable and also how to approach your learning effectively. This will help build your confidence and capability in your academic work.
