File Sharing

Unpermitted or illegitimate academic file-sharing is the transfer and/or trading of course materials, notes, assessment tasks, answers, and responses with others, including Internet-based sites, in a manner that facilitates unfair academic advantage

Sharing files among students, particularly course materials, assignments, or exams, can significantly breach academic integrity. This practice undermines the values of honesty, trust, fairness, and responsibility that we, as a university, uphold. When you share files containing solutions, essays, or test questions, it creates unfair advantages and diminishes the value of your academic achievements. We have strict policies and consequences for such actions, emphasising the importance of producing original work and maintaining the integrity of your education. It is crucial to adhere to these guidelines to foster a fair and ethical academic environment.

Case study (from Semester 1, 2024

Matt is in the second year of his Business degree. So far, his courses have included case studies and required him to write up project reports. Matt signed up for a website which encourages students to upload and share their work. He knew the site was blocked by the University web servers, but he thought nobody would notice. The site encouraged Matt to upload his old assessments so that he could access new content.

Matt uploaded three of his old project reports to the website. Three months later, he received an academic integrity letter. Another student had downloaded Matt’s assignment and submitted it as their own. The tutor noticed the similarity and both students were called to separate academic integrity meetings. Matt said he wasn’t the one who cheated and he doesn’t even know the other student. The Academic Integrity Officer showed Matt his assignment on the web. The AIO said that these sites enable cheating, and Matt would have known this when he uploaded his old assignments.

By enabling others to cheat, Matt has breached the Academic Integrity Policy. Matt’s grade for his first year assignment was reduced, which took him from a Credit to a Pass and affected his GPA. The AIO cautioned Matt not to use these sites to upload or download content. If Matt is found to have used these sites again he may face a more serious penalty.