Cheating and plagiarism
University studies require you as a student to take personal responsibility for your studies in order to succeed. There are students who find the studies too difficult and choose to cheat. There are also students who “cheat” without knowing. You should therefore ensure that you are familiar with the applicable rules so that you do not break any of them.
As a student you are liable to follow laws and regulations, as well as the specific local rules which apply at Halmstad University. You must for example familiarise yourself with and follow our rules of examination, rules concerning referencing and code of conduct. If you cheat or disrupt the University’s activities, you may receive a warning or be suspended.
Ask for help if you find the studies too difficult. Ask your teacher or the Service Center about what is and is not permitted if you are unsure. The University Library can also advise you on how to correctly reference when you write academic texts.
What is considered cheating?
In accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance, cheating is when an individual uses prohibited aids or by other means misleads the person who is grading their work. Cheat sheets, collaborating on an individual take-home examination, notes in a collection of formulas, and using or copying text from previously published work or literature and submitting it as your own, using generative AI in an examination where it is not permitted are all considered cheating.
Talking to other students and using prohibited aids such as cheat sheets, notes, mobile phone, computer or books during a written exam can be considered cheating. Sometimes, certain aids are permitted, but you will receive information about these in advance.
What does plagiarism mean?
Using work, text, diagrams, tables or programs and giving the impression that it is your own work or a new work, is plagiarism. It is therefore forbidden to reuse a text that you have already submitted yourself, which is considered self plagiarism, or to use content from someone else’s work. You should never include ideas or statements that are not your own without clearly indicating the sources that have been used. This also applies to AI tools if you use such tools for a task where they are allowed as an aid.
Plagiarism does not need to be intentional; it may be a matter of you not knowing the rules for citations and references. It is therefore important to ensure you are familiar with what is and is not permitted and that you follow your teacher’s instructions.
In general, you can use others’ work and course literature for inspiration and as part of your reasoning when you write a take-home exam, for example, but you must always cite your sources. The text must be processed to such an extent that your work is your own independent work in order for it to be approved.
If you directly copy a text, you must include this as a quote. If you use literature in your reasoning without writing out the exact text, you must cite the literature in question.
Use of AI tools
In general, it is not allowed to use generative AI in examinations at Halmstad University, unless it is explicitly stated in the course description or in the examination instructions that it is a permitted aid. The reason is that in many cases the tools do not allow you to develop the abilities you need after the education or that your submission at an examination does not allow a teacher to assess what you actually know.
If you use AI tools in an examination where it is not allowed, it is a violation of Halmstad University's disciplinary rules and is seen as cheating. For examinations where AI is a permitted tool, you must be aware of the rules around plagiarism.
It cannot be assumed that the text and data generated by this type of tool is accurate or relevant. The tools can also exclude important or even crucial information for no good reason. Texts created may contain completely false claims, designed to fulfill what has been requested in the instructions. As a student, you are always responsible for what you submit for examination, regardless of what tools you have used. It is therefore important that you carefully check the content and sources cited.
The University checks submitted assignments
In order to ensure take-home exams, project work, independent projects and similar do not contain any material plagiarised from other people’s texts without a reference to the source, the university uses an automated system. The system checks the submitted material against material found online, material from publishers and previously submitted student material.
The University is currently doing a trial on a new system to check assignments for plagiarism. If you are to use the new system, your teacher will inform you.
Situations which call for disciplinary action
- If you use prohibited aids or other means in an attempt to mislead or cheat when study performance is to be assessed, such as during an examination.
- If you disrupt or obstruct tuition, examination or other activities within the scope of the education at the university.
- If you disrupt the activities of the university library or other specialised institution within the university (in accordance with Chapter 10, Section 1 of the Higher Education Ordinance).
- If you subject another student or employee at the university to harassment or sexual harassment as defined in Chapter 1, Section 4 of the Discrimination Act (SFS 2008:567).
If more than two years have passed since the offence took place, disciplinary action can no longer be taken.
What happens if you are reported for cheating
Cheating, obstructing education and harassment are not common offences, but they do occur and are a very serious matter. We therefore wish to inform you about how disciplinary matters are handled at Halmstad University.
If you are reported for cheating, disrupting or obstructing tuition or examination or for harassing someone, an investigation is carried out. You are normally permitted to receive tuition, take exams and similar during the period between report and decision.
Report to the Vice-Chancellor and investigation
When a report is received, an investigation is initiated. You can read the report and have the opportunity to give your opinion on the matter. If the Vice-Chancellor decides not to take any action or to issue you with a warning, the case is closed and you will receive the decision via e-mail. If, on the other hand, the matter goes to the Student Disciplinary Board, you will be called to the board’s meeting.
The Student Disciplinary Board’s meeting
The Student Disciplinary Board consists of the Vice-Chancellor (chair), a legal expert who must be a permanent judge or have previously held this position, a teacher representative, two student representatives, the investigator and the examiner concerned. During the meeting, you may supplement the comments you have already submitted and respond to questions from the members of the board. After the meeting, the board will make a decision.
The decision of the Student Disciplinary Board
Once the board has conferred, you will be notified of the decision. The board may absolve you, issue you with a warning or suspend you from education. The final minutes will be send to you after around one week’s time.
Warning: This does not mean that you will be unable to continue your studies. This is however a disciplinary measure which emphasises the fact that the behaviour is not permitted, but that it is not so serious that it would lead to a suspension.
Suspension: If you are suspended, you are still admitted to the programme and can register for your courses. If you are a tuition fee paying student, you need to pay the fee to be able to register. However you are not allowed to attend any classes, take exams or carry out any other activity at the University for the duration of your suspension, which can be a maximum six months. You may not enter the University’s premises or campus. Your access to the University’s system is blocked during your suspension. CSN will also be informed. The suspension takes effect as of the first Monday following the Disciplinary Board’s decision unless otherwise specified.
The Disciplinary Board’s decision is not visible on your course certificate or degree certificate or in excerpts from Ladok for students; it is only saved in the university’s register. The decision is, however, an official document and can be disclosed by the registrar upon request.
Appealing a decision
A decision by the Disciplinary Board to suspend a student or issue a warning can be appealed to an administrative court (Chapter 12, Section 3 of the Higher Education Ordinance). The decision must be appealed in writing. In your letter you must state which decision is to be appealed and what changes you wish to make. You must send your appeal to Halmstad University within three weeks of being notified of the decision (Section 23 of the Administrative Procedure Act).
The Disciplinary Board will only examine the matter of whether or not you are guilty of something inadmissible. The board may not make a decision or statement on whether or not your study performance is to be assessed.
The examiner decides about grades
The examiner will determine whether or not the exam or assignment suspected to be the subject of cheating shall be accepted. The examiner can choose to wait with their decision pending that of the disciplinary board. If the disciplinary board decides to suspend you from studies, the exam is normally considered invalid. It is however the examiner for the course in question who ultimately determines whether an exam is to be declared invalid or assessed and graded.
