Making Good Decisions
Don't let the stress of studying lead to poor decision making! Here are some tips for academic success.
We know that juggling multiple responsibilities can be difficult. Whether it's work commitments, family obligations, financial worries or adjusting to life in a new country, many graduate students feel these pressures. Unfortunately, when these pressures peak during exams or assignment deadlines, it is easy to succumb to making some poor decisions. These may include:
- working on an assignment with friends when it is not a group assignment
- handing in work that you already submitted for another unit
- copying someone else's work without proper referencing
- poor paraphrasing
- paying another person to perform an academic task and passing it off as your own.
So, what happens when you make one of these bad decisions? And how do you avoid making them in the first place?
First of all, Monash has a range of resources to help you learn, cultivate and uphold good academic integrity and avoid plagiarism. These include:
Additionally, the Student Academic Success team hosts workshops focused on academic success or you can book a 1:1 consultation with an advisor to get help with your assessment or academic writing.
Don’t forget - your tutors and lecturers are also invaluable resources! Be sure to reach out to your teachers to clarify proper referencing styles for your subjects.
If you have already broken one of these rules, however, you will be found in violation of the University’s academic integrity policy and may be required to go through the academic integrity breach process. Depending on the severity of the breach of academic integrity, penalties for this can include:
- a record of guilt
- failing your assignment or unit
- your name being placed on the Academic Integrity Register, which is accessible to a small group of your faculty's staff
- suspension or exclusion from Monash.
This is where the MGA's advocacy service comes in. We are here to advise and support you in getting back on track. Depending on your circumstances, the MGA advocates can help you prepare a response to your allegation and/or accompany you to any meeting organised by the faculty as your support person.
Our advice is free, confidential and independent. If you find yourself in a tight spot or just have a question about matters relating to academic integrity, don’t hesitate and contact our advocates today.
EMAIL AN ADVOCATE