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Another student has plagiarised my work. What action should I take?

Another student has plagiarised my work. What action should I take?

The first thing you need to do if another student has plagiarised your work is to inform your tutor or a head tutor in your department at your university or college. You need to do this as soon as you become aware of the transgression. The faster you act, the more chance you have of dealing with the issue and clearing your own name. Sadly, even if you are wholly innocent and have not colluded in the slightest in the act of copying, there is still a risk that  you too will be investigated. Therefore, it is very important that you do everything in your power to defend your position.                                        

In the worst-case scenario, if you are unable to distance yourself from the act of plagiarism, you could end up with a permanent blot on your student record, a lower grade for your degree or whichever qualification you are studying for, or in the worst case, you could even end up being expelled.

How does it happen?

Many cases of plagiarism these days are committed by people you know and may even consider friends. With most assignments being written on computers, making a digital copy of completed assignments has become a matter of just a few clicks of the mouse. To make matters worse, many students think nothing of loaning their computer to friends or leaving it unattended in what they consider to be a safe environment, such as the university library.

It's also possible that your computer has been hacked and your work has been compromised this way. In addition, work can be plagiarised through more old-fashioned methods. For example, a hard copy of an assignment may have been taken, copied and replaced.

If you know your work has been plagiarised, knowing how and when it was done, and of course by whom, is only going to strengthen your case. If you can manage to gather any evidence, then all the better. Also, the speed of your reaction really can't be stressed enough. The likelihood of you being implicated in the act of plagiarism is a lot less likely if you are the one who brings it to light.

How can Match Solicitors help?

Sometimes it may be the case that the first you hear about your work being plagiarised is when your college or university asks you to appear before an Academic Misconduct Panel. This can be very disconcerting and stressful, and you might feel wholly unprepared to deal with it. In these cases, Match Solicitors can take away a great deal of the pressure, helping you to gather evidence and prepare a sturdy and professional defence.

At Match, our team of specialist education lawyers have represented many students in Academic Misconduct hearings, where we have used our expert knowledge in this field to overturn incorrect allegations and prove students’ innocence, allowing them to return to their studies and complete their course with their reputations intact.

If you believe your work has been copied without your consent or you have been asked to appear before a misconduct panel, then give us a call at Match Solicitors today to discuss your case in confidence.

 



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