Understanding plagiarism
Consequences of plagiarism
While CSU's Academic Misconduct Rule recognises that not all cases of plagiarism are equally serious, academics have clear responsibilities to report suspected plagiarism cases. The outcome of careless referencing or poor note-taking may be a fail on the paper while a more serious breach can lead to exclusion from the University.
The seriousness of the misconduct, the relative experience of the student and whether the student has previously been found guilty of misconduct will be given due regard but penalties become progressively harsher depending on the nature of the plagiarism. For instance, if a fail grade is recommended, the student will not be entitled to a refund of fees, or if exclusion is recommended this will be for a period of up to two years.