Collusion
Collusion is when more than one student contributes to a piece of individual assessment that is then submitted as the work of an individual. The project brief explicitly states that students cannot collaborate with others.
Imani and Zane are in different tutorials groups and think that no one will notice the similarity of their submissions.
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How can I detect collusion?
In the past, staff have suspected collusion when:
- Two students used the same construction details in physical models.
- Turnitin reported two essays with high similarity scores.
- Students allocated to a group received identical scores on an online quiz.
- A student took another student’s lecture notes into an open book exam.
NB: 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 ABP Academic Support Office, with evidence, for advice on next steps. Please refer to this page for details and links.