Plagiarism on the rise by students at University Of Northampton
INCIDENTS of plagiarism by students at the University of Northampton in exam coursework have increased by 65 per cent in the past four years.
Latest figures show that 391 students were found guilty of ‘academic misconduct’ which primarily relates to deliberate or unintentional cases of copying other people’s work.
The statistics, available from a Freedom of Information request, show there were 237 incidents of academic misconduct in 2006/7, 245 in 2007/8, 284 in 2008/9 and 391 in 2009/10.
About three incidents of each yearly total were students identified as “cheating” in exams.
A university spokesman said the institution had various different ways of educating students about the dangers of plagiarism.
The spokesman said: “All forms of academic misconduct are taken very seriously by The University of Northampton, with each incident logged.
“Our definition of plagiarism does not differentiate between the intentional or unintentional, and we are working towards electronic submission of all written work to ensure that cases of plagiarism are more easily detected and that students can learn the skills involved in reference and correct attribution.”
The spokesman said that the university also ran a ‘plagiarism avoidance’ course which helps students learn the correct academic skills required, and a programme was made available to all students highlighting the hazards that lead to plagiarism and developing the skills to avoid them.
The sanctions imposed by the university for academic misconduct include a grade for a module being reduced to a fail mark with the right to repeat a module withdrawn.
In less serious cases, guidance can be provided to module leaders or the student but, in some of the most serious cases, it can lead to the termination of the students’ studies.
Other sanctions include reducing the grade of the module to a D- or withdrawing the right to repeat a module with equivalent degree credits. In the three cases of “cheating” in exams, the most common method was possession of unauthorised material.
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Comments
There are 19 comments to this article
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executioners_bong
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 04:38 PMIn my opinion, all forms of academic misconduct are taken very seriously by The University of Northampton.
HonoraryNorthamptonian
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 09:27 PMThe University of Northampton DOES have a University because I studied there and so did my ex-girlfriend. Plagiarism takes places at every University, even at the so called 'proper' ones Jackson! By the way Northampton was actually one of the first universities in the country established in 1261, but that original university was dissolved by Henry III in 1265 because it was considered to be a threat to Oxford University. Northampton has roughly 10,000 undergraduatepostgraduate students and the 200 - 400 of these caught cheating is therefore between 2% and 4%, a very low percentage. Picking on 'new' Universities like Northampton for what is a common problem in most higher education institutions, is just another example of hypocritical elitist snobbery! Jackson obviously didn't learn much from attending a 'proper' University because he clearly graduated with a closed mind...
Chaocontrol6
Friday, January 13, 2012 at 10:56 AMTo get onto most courses nowadays at The University of Northampton you are required to get at least 260 UCAS points, the equivalent of 2 C's and a B grade at A-Level. I think you need to get your facts straight Jackson before you say that you only need a few CSE's (And please do keep up with the modern day, as it is now GCSE's)
Finker
Friday, January 13, 2012 at 10:37 AMJackson, you seem to be proving that 'proper' universities don't always deliver the goods although not sure what your evidence is that local uni's don't.
lady muck
Thursday, January 12, 2012 at 08:27 AMWe can hardly be surprised that plagiarism is on the increase either at school or Uni. Children sent home from school to do their homework on the internet Much more reliance on coursework rather than examination. No handwritten essays any more. It's cut and paste. What's happened to the good old-fashioned writing formulae on your shirt-cuff ?
Links
Thursday, January 12, 2012 at 12:52 AMFrom the level of some of your comments I'm amazed you went to university at all. What were you, the university toilet attendant?
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Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 11:24 PMActually I went to a proper university. And not Croby. Northampton does not have a university, you need several falied CSE's to go there there. Secondary modern.
amos
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 10:54 PMIt impresses me that some Northampton Uni students are clearly able to copy. Standards are clearly rising.
Finker
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 09:36 PMJackson, if you studied there and got a qualification then I think you actually make quite a strong argument.
a bit miffed
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 08:32 PMJackson - Are you deliberately trying to make yourself sound like a bit of an idiot by making the same pointless comments on every article about Northampton University? We get it. You have no respect for the place as an educational establishment. If you could back your opinion with a well thought out or even just a rational reason without mentioning Croby, you may get a little more respect.
Dov
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 07:58 PMHaving just graduated from this Uni, I know this is vastly under exaggerated!!! I know plenty of class mates who would get assignments and dissertations done for them in their native languages, then get them translated into English to bypass the computer systems, and it worked!!!! This was widespread and the lecturers knew about it as they openly discussed it, yet wouldn't do anything about it.Many students have achieved grades which they have not deserved and it makes a Mockary out of everyone else who works hard for their degrees. But the Uni is more interested in getting the students money then ensuring high standards are maintained!!!
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Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 05:36 PMHello, I am from the University of Croby. I cannot spell paleygrianism. Should we just go back to having "exams" or would that be too hard?
Mctaggert
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 03:52 PMHaving gone to the University of Northampton, there are two major reasons for this story. The first is, the reason they have found 237 cheaters at all is that they have a sophisticated system, which scans and memorises every essay you write and that anyone else has written, in the uni and everywhere else in the world. So these morons obviously thought they could get away with it and were promptly caught by the computer system. The second reason is that the punishments for cheating are obviously not strict enough to deter people. I was in a class with someone was caught cheating on two occasions copying whole essays off the internet, the second occasion was part of a group project which got everyone else in trouble, yet he was still not thrown out. They obviously wanted his money too much to throw out someone who risked a whole group of degree students futures…
willi eckaslyke
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 02:29 PMk.cimetta...it's most encouraging to hear that not all Northampton University students are stupid.
Cely
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 02:08 PMWhy no call a cheat a cheat.
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