ACN’s students and graduates are ethical professionals who are committed to the highest quality of healthcare. Our students recognise that a high standard of academic integrity translates to a high standard of practice in the workplace where health outcomes for the community are at stake.

“[A]s future health practitioners, students of the health professions should be expected to conduct themselves according to the highest possible standards of academic integrity” (Jiang & McKauge, 2013, p. 370).

Academic integrity is a guiding principle for academic staff at ACN, who lead their students by example and apply the highest standards of academic rigour to their writing and teaching.

What is Academic Integrity?

“Academic integrity is: the moral code of academia. It involves using, generating and communicating information in an ethical, honest and responsible manner” (Monash University, 2013). The term ‘ethical scholarship’ has a similar meaning. These definitions apply to the behaviour of students, unit coordinators or external subject matter experts who are engaged in any education development (Tertiary Education and Quality Standards Agency [TEQSA], 2019).

Plagiarism

Plagiarism occurs when a student or someone uses resources without proper acknowledgement, citation or documentation. ACN views plagiarism as (but not limited to):

Copying
Copies or attempts to copy the work of other persons and submits it as their own.

Inappropriate paraphrasing
Presents the ideas/thoughts of another author(s) as their own by paraphrasing or summarising without acknowledging the source.

Collusion
Colludes with another person or persons to produce work which is then presented as work completed independently by the student.

Inappropriate use of Gen AI
Uses generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) technology for a specific assessment item where the use of Gen AI is not permitted or failing to reference the use of Gen AI technology correctly.

Inappropriate citation
The use of direct quotes, paragraphs and sentences, or parts thereof, without the use of quotation marks or other appropriate forms of acknowledgement plus appropriate acknowledgement in the reference list in accordance with ACN referencing style.

Self-plagiarism
Presents work previously submitted in the same subject, course or as a requirement of another program of study.

Contract cheating
A student uses a third party including friends and family to undertake their assessed work for them with the intention to deceive.

Infringement of copyright
Downloading information, text, computer code, artwork, graphics or other material from the internet and presenting it as one’s own without acknowledgment.

ACN promotes academic integrity in several ways

Turnitin

ACN uses Turnitin originality checking software for the purpose of vetting assignments submitted by students against original material found in a repository of previous student papers, journal articles, websites and other resources. In agreeing to (opt-in) Turnitin terms and conditions, you are agreeing to your assignment being added to the Turnitin repository. If you do not agree (opt-out) with the terms and conditions, you must contact your unit coordinator to discuss your options.

Academic Integrity Module

All students who are enrolled into a course of study with ACN are required to complete the academic integrity module at least once per year.  The academic integrity module includes an academic integrity, paraphrasing and referencing correctly quiz to help consolidate an understanding of how to conduct your study at ACN in an ethical manner.

The academic integrity module is available in CNnect, our online learning management system. If you have any problems accessing or completing the module, contact cnnect.support@acn.edu.au.

Academic writing support

As a student enrolled in a Graduate Certificate at ACN you have access to support to help you achieve your academic goals. Please visit the Writing and Referencing Centre in CNnect for further details.

Studiosity
Available to all enrolled graduate certificate students, Studiosity is an online tutoring service available 24/7 with a focus on supporting students improve their literacy and academic writing skills including sentence structure, mechanics, grammar and referencing. Please see Studiosity in CNnect for further details.

Health, wellbeing and student support

ACN is committed to supporting students to successfully complete their studies.

  • For academic support, students can contact their Unit/Course Coordinator directly. Unit/Course coordinator contact details can be found at the top of the unit/ course home page in CNnect.
  • Students seeking personal support, can email student.wellbeing@acn.edu.au; and
  • for CNnect technical support, student can visit FAQs or contact cnnect.support@acn.edu.au.

The Support for Students’ Policy sets out how ACN identifies students at risk of failing to pass their chosen units of study and supports them to study successfully.

For further details about support for students at ACN, please see: Student health, wellbeing and support

Student code of conduct

The student code of conduct sets out definitions of misconduct, including academic, general and financial misconduct.   The policy outlines:

  • how ACN will investigate an allegation of misconduct (including academic misconduct); and
  • the types of penalties that ACN may impose for students in breach of the Student Code of Conduct.

For further details please see E.1.3b Student Code of Conduct

Understanding Academic Integrity

Understanding Academic Integrity, is a TEQSA education resource to inform students about:

  • different types of cheating and the risks and penalties for poor behaviour; and
  • how to identify, avoid and report illegal cheating services.

For further details see here

Jiang, H., Emmerton, L.,& McKauge, L. (2013). Academic integrity and plagiarism: A review of the influences and risk situations for health students. Higher Education Research & Development, 32(3), 369–380. doi: 10.1080/07294360.2012.687362

Monash University (2013), Student Academic Integrity Policy, Monash University Policy Bank. http://www.policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/academic/education/conduct/student-academic-integrity-policy.html

Tertiary Education and Quality Standards Agency (TEQSA). (2019). Guidance Note: Academic Integrity Version 1.2. https://www.teqsa.gov.au/latest-news/publications/guidance-note-academic-integrity