CU Scarborough

Academic integrity

In this area

Academic integrity means being honest, fair and responsible in your studies. You must complete all academic work independently and truthfully and follow the rules for referencing using sources.

What you need to know

You’ll learn about academic integrity and build your skills and academic practice throughout your studies. To support this, visit your library's page.

All academic work builds on the work of other people. You must clearly show which parts are your own and which come from other sources by using proper referencing. (see referencing section)
You must gather and keep any evidence showing how you developed your assessments (such as notes, drafts or research materials) to prove that the work is your own, if you are ever required to. See evidence sections below.

The University uses software to check your work for originality. You may also use these tools to check your drafts before submission. Computer software is used to systematically check students’ submissions of work for originality and authenticity. Learn how to interpret the results.

Breaches of academic integrity

A breach happens when a student tries to gain an unfair advantage in their work or helps someone else to do so. This includes plagiarism, collusion, contract cheating, and using unauthorised materials

If there’s evidence of a breach, you’ll be invited to an academic conduct meeting. You’re strongly advised to contact Your Students’ Union Advice Centre for support.

The University investigates all allegations under its Academic Conduct procedures. The most serious penalty is expulsion. Proven breaches stay on your record permanently and may affect future references or professional registration. If misconduct is discovered after graduation, your award may be withdrawn.

The list of academic integrity can be found in paragraph 1.6.1 General Regulations.

Your role

You’re expected to protect integrity of the assessment process and observe high personal standards of academic honesty and integrity in your studies. Follow academic conventions, attend training and ask for help if you’re unsure. You should report any suspected misconduct confidentially to integritythreats@coventry.ac.uk.

We give you opportunities to learn and grow in your academic practice. We provide clear guidance and support to help you follow current academic standards. By engaging with the training and advice available, you’ll deepen your understanding of your subject, improve the quality of your work, and show that you’ve achieved the learning outcomes. Following the academic process helps you produce consistent, well-structured work that reflects your progress and development.

Acknowledging sources in academic writing

Gathering information from your reading and other sources is an essential part of academic writing. You must always cite and reference these sources correctly using the required style. Building on existing research, ideas and concepts is good academic practice, but you must show which ideas are yours and which come from others. Whenever you use information from other sources you must:

add an in-text citation of the source in the body of your writing
include a full reference in your reference list at the end of your document.

Why cite and reference?

Citing and referencing shows that you’ve read widely, understood key idea, and can build your own thinking on trusted sources. It’s a core part of academic writing and helps you:

Show your tutors that you’ve engaged with relevant materials and have understood their impact.
Build your ideas on respected work in your discipline.
Make your writing scholarly and credible, illustrating your research skills and ability to follow academic standards.
Demonstrates intellectual honesty by clearly showing which parts are your own and which are borrowed, highlighting the originality of your work.
Help readers to find the sources you’ve used – and help revisit them later.

Why gather and keep evidence?

If a question is ever raised about whether an assessment is your own work, this evidence helps you prove that it is.

The University is introducing this change to:

Protect the value and integrity of university qualifications
Help students demonstrate authorship of their work
Make sure academic integrity concerns are considered fairly and consistently
Make it clearer when work has been produced, or heavily shaped, by unauthorised sources or technology.

For most students, this will mean keeping hold of the materials you would normally produce while working on an assessment.

What counts as evidence?

What counts as evidence will vary depending on the type of assessment.

Your Module Leader will provide guidance at the start of the module on the types of evidence that may be relevant for your assessments. This might include planning notes, drafts, research materials, design iterations, laboratory records, working files, or evidence of permitted AI use.

How this applies to AI use

AI tools are increasingly common, and the University encourages appropriate use to support your learning and assessments. However, what is allowed varies between assessments.

Your assessment brief will always state clearly whether AI tools can be used, how, and with what restrictions. Check this before using any AI tool.
If AI use is allowed, follow the instructions in your assessment brief and be clear about how you used it.
If AI use isn't allowed, using it anyway may lead to an academic integrity concern being raised.
If you're unsure whether a particular use of AI is permitted, ask your Module Leader before you submit.
Get familiar with the Library studying with AI guidance to help you use AI appropriately.
If you are unsure what evidence you should retain, speak to your Module Leader as early as possible and always before the assessment deadline.

What you need to do

Keep copies of relevant materials as you work on each assessment.
Store them somewhere safe and organised, such as a dedicated folder in OneDrive or a labelled physical folder or notebook.
Retain these materials until you have completed your programme of study and any related academic integrity or appeals processes have concluded.

Get help with referencing

You can find full guidance on referencing styles is available through the Library’s online guides or in person at the University Library and from the Centre for Academic Writing (CAW).

For one-to-one support, please visit your library's page.

You can also book to attend the following workshops: