Borrowing
Borrowing involves using another student’s computer file/s and/or data to make progress on an individual assessment task in a way that would have otherwise impossible. The project brief explicitly states that students cannot collaborate with others. Borrowing is a form of collusion.
Stephen has agreed to let John use the site plan that he prepared for their design studio.
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How can I detect borrowing?
In the past, staff have suspected students of borrowing content from a peer when two or more assignments:
- Present the same site context for different design solutions. For example, the land contours, location and type of landscaping, and details of neighbouring buildings are identical.
- Use the same data set to support different recommendations. For example, students sharing calculations for housing density, financial predictions and patterns of transport use.
NB: Borrowing can be difficult for staff to detect. This is because the ‘final products’ submitted for assessment by two or more students can be visibly different despite the sharing of critical information. Staff have a responsibility when setting assessment tasks to clearly explain to students whether they can collaborate with peers.
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What steps should I take?
- If you are a Tutor, advise the Senior Tutor or Subject Coordinator of your suspicions about the authenticity of a submission.
- Collect evidence of the suspected misconduct, without accusing the student of engaging in misconduct. This should include:
- Copies of two or more student submissions that highlights the suspicious content, and
- A copy of the assignment brief explicitly stating that students cannot collaborate with others, and
- Notes from a meeting with student/s where they were asked to explain the formation of ideas and/or conclusions.
- The Senior Tutor or Subject Coordinator should contact the ABP Academic Support Office, with evidence, for advice on next steps. Please refer to this page for details and links.