Consequences of Plagiarism
Consequences of Plagiarism
Plagiarism—using someone else’s work or ideas without proper credit—is a form of theft and is illegal under Australian copyright law. At Veterinary Nurse Solutions (VNS), we take plagiarism seriously and do not tolerate academic dishonesty.
When you submit an assessment, it is automatically checked by an academic plagiarism checker. This tool compares your work against published sources, other student assessments, and online content to identify how much of it is considered ‘unoriginal’. It also detects the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
Understanding the Plagiarism Checker
- Every piece of writing will have some level of similarity to other texts—this is normal.
- As long as you properly reference all sources and acknowledge the original authors, a certain percentage of ‘unoriginal’ content is acceptable.
- Problems arise when:
- Large sections of work are copied without proper citation.
- There are excessive direct quotes, rather than demonstrating your own understanding.
- The work appears to be a ‘cut-and-paste’ submission rather than independent research.
What Happens If You Plagiarise?
Plagiarism, collusion, and the misuse of AI fall under Academic Dishonesty. All allegations of academic dishonesty will be investigated and penalised according to our Student Misconduct Procedure.
If an instance of academic dishonesty is found to be the result of a genuine misunderstanding, we allow the student to resubmit a corrected version of their work. However, a formal warning will still be recorded in their student file. Any future instances will not be treated as misunderstandings.
Plagiarism is assessed as low, medium, or high, based on the percentage of actual plagiarism detected after an Educator has reviewed the assessment and removed any incorrect matches. The level of plagiarism determines the action taken.
Regardless of the level of plagiarism, ff a student receives three formal plagiarism warnings, they will be investigated for academic dishonesty under the Student Misconduct Procedure. The most severe consequence is withdrawal from the course.
Avoiding Plagiarism and Academic Misconduct
To succeed in your studies, it is essential to plan your time effectively and seek help when needed. Plagiarism often occurs due to poor time management, lack of confidence, or misunderstanding how to reference correctly.
At VNS, we encourage students to ask for support—whether it’s help with referencing, managing workload, or improving research skills. Learning to think critically, summarise information, and express ideas in your own words will help you gain the most from your studies while maintaining academic integrity.