“Do you pay for it? Do you? Hmm? Take precautions, or you could end up with something unpleasant!”
In case there’s any doubt, we’re talking Academic Offences.
If you ask someone else to draft your work for you, or if you copy someone else’s work, whether or not you pay them for the privilege, then you’re running the strong risk of committing the academic offence of plagiarism.
In case you don’t already know, the University uses a computer program called TurnItIn to assess if students’ work bears similarities with reference material and/or other students’ submissions, here and worldwide. So don’t assume that, because you bought an essay from someone over the internet, that no-one in Greenwich will find out. They usually do, and you will be the one paying the penalty! Penalties for academic offence can range from failing the assignment to being dismissed from the course – and in extreme cases, losing any academic credit gained during your studies at Greenwich.
There can be innocent reasons why your work may appear similar to someone else’s. TurnItIn isn’t conclusive proof, but it will be enough for the University to call you in for an interview, so that they can decide if you’ve copied others’ work or not.
If you want a qualification from the University of Greenwich, you have to earn it by doing the work yourself. If you’re asking someone else to write it for you, don’t be surprised if the University kicks you out.
If you’re finding the course difficult, or personal problems have left you too little time to do your work, do yourself a favour and contact your personal tutor. The University has a range of options to help you to manage your studies - you’re paying them tuition fees, so ask for support when you need it! And why not find out about Study Skills workshops on the University Portal? You can get support to help you write better-quality essays that showcase your ability and maximise your chances of passing first time.
If you’re facing an investigation for academic offences, you can get free, confidential advice from the Students’ Union Advice Service. We won’t pass on any information you tell us to the University or anywhere else without your permission, and if you need support, we can make sure you know what’s available and how to get it, from us or from others.
Contact:
Students’ Union Advice Service
Telephone: 020 8331 8267