Cheating

Cheating with AI

Submitting an examination that has been wholly or partially generated with the help of someone else, whether a human or AI, may constitute an attempt to deceive. Rules regarding when and how AI may be used vary between different examinations and courses. Make sure to check the specific requirements for each examination.

AI tools such as ChatGPT can produce seemingly correct but fabricated references and citations. Citing non-existent material in an examination is considered cheating.

Plagiarism and Self-Plagiarism

Plagiarism involves reproducing text, diagrams, tables, code, or similar material, in whole or in part, without clearly indicating that it was created by someone else. This may include work from other students, books, articles, websites, and more. Ensure that everything you submit is genuinely your own work.

Reusing text, code, or similar material from a previous examination is only permitted if you clearly indicate it and provide a reference to your own prior work. Identical wording must be marked as a quotation. A good rule of thumb is to treat your own previous work the same way you would treat someone else’s.

University West uses the Inspera Originality system to check for plagiarism in written assignments, essays, and theses. You submit your work via Canvas, after which it is checked against a database. The system is also used by other universities and schools, and plagiarism is checked against all submitted work regardless of where it was originally submitted. Originality also detects plagiarism from internet sources, journals, and other publications.

Unauthorized Aids

Unauthorized aids, such as cheat sheets, mobile phones, or books, are considered an attempt to deceive during an examination even if you do not use them. Some aids may be permitted in certain examinations; if so, you will receive prior information and it will be clearly indicated on the examination instructions. Make sure to check what is allowed before the examination begins.

Unauthorized Collaboration

As a general rule, examinations are individual. What is to be assessed is your knowledge. You may not communicate with others during in-person exams or collaborate on individual assignments. Some examinations are group assessments. In such cases, collaboration is allowed, but only according to the given instructions. Remember that all group members are jointly responsible for the submission, and you should ensure that everyone understands the rules.

False Information

In addition to the above, attempts to deceive during an examination may also occur through false information regarding attendance in practical training or by manipulating exam results.

Always read the course syllabus and examination instructions carefully, and follow the guidance of the teacher and exam proctor. You are responsible for keeping yourself informed if you have been absent from information sessions, and you should ask questions if anything is unclear.

Learn the rules for using other people’s work. It must be clear which ideas and formulations are your own, and which are taken from articles, books, the internet, or other sources.

When quoting, always reproduce the text word for word and mark it with quotation marks. When paraphrasing, rephrase someone else’s text in your own words. You must make it clear that it is a paraphrase, for example by using expressions such as “according to the author” or “as the author states,” or similar.

For both quotations and paraphrases, always provide correct references according to the rules of your subject, and include the source in the reference list or bibliography.

Always keep your sources until the examination is completed, so that you can show them if necessary (see the section on “Forms of Cheating – AI” above).

If you openly report during the examination that you have done something not allowed—for example, used AI, brought a mobile phone, or collaborated—this is normally not considered cheating. However, you may still fail, because the examiner cannot assess your individual performance.

Cheating is handled in accordance with Chapter 10 of the Higher Education Ordinance. If there is a well-founded suspicion, the teacher or the examination office reports it to the Vice Chancellor and a disciplinary case is initiated. You will be contacted by an investigator to provide your statement before the Vice Chancellor makes a decision. If the investigation shows that you have cheated, the Vice Chancellor may issue a written warning or refer the case to the Disciplinary Board at University West. At University West, the Vice Chancellor has delegated the handling of disciplinary cases to the Pro Vice Chancellor.

Your teacher is not allowed to grade the examination in question until the case has been resolved, but you may continue your studies as usual until a decision is made.

University West has a Disciplinary Board consisting of a teacher representative, two student representatives, a legally qualified member, and the Pro Vice Chancellor as chair.

After an investigation, the Pro Vice Chancellor may refer a case of cheating to the Disciplinary Board. The Board normally meets on the last Monday of each month, except in July.

Before the Disciplinary Board makes a decision, the student who has been reported will be invited to attend the meeting to present their case directly to the Board. Decisions are made in private deliberation, without the student present. The decision is communicated immediately after the meeting and also in writing in the meeting minutes.

In cases of confirmed cheating, the Pro Vice Chancellor or the Disciplinary Board may issue a written warning. This is uncommon and only occurs if the investigation shows that the deception was minor. A written warning is recorded in the university’s case management system and means that repeated cheating will be considered more serious and may result in a longer suspension.

If the Pro Vice Chancellor issues a warning, the student has the right to request that the case be reviewed by the Disciplinary Board. If the Disciplinary Board issues a warning, the student has the right to appeal the decision to the Administrative Court.

In addition to a warning, the Disciplinary Board may decide on suspension from studies, normally for six weeks. This decision can also be appealed to the Administrative Court.

Read more about suspension

If the investigation does not clearly show that there was an intentional attempt to deceive during an examination, the Pro Vice Chancellor or the Disciplinary Board shall decide to take no action.

Taking no action does not mean that the reported examination will be approved. The examiner always assesses and grades the work.

Chapter 10 of the Higher Education Ordinance also addresses other types of disciplinary offenses, including disruptive behaviour, harassment, and sexual harassment involving a student. The investigation process and decision-making procedure are the same as for attempts to deceive during examinations.