You have been accused of breaking academic regulations. Some reflections on what to expect, and how to respond.

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You have received a letter from your university informing you that your work has been flagged for an academic integrity investigation. The letter briefly explains that during the marking process, concerns have been raised about the authorship of your submitted assessment, and a brief investigation will now take place to ensure no assessment regulations have been breached. What should you do? For the purpose of this article, I will refer to this process as 'academic misconduct', which refers to the breaking of assessment regulations.

Understand the definition of academic misconduct: Firstly, you should familiarise yourself with your university’s regulations on academic writing. It is essential to understand how the institution defines acceptable academic work and what constitutes a breach of these rules.

Read processes and procedures: Every university has its own procedures for dealing with breaches of academic writing regulations. You should be able to find these processes on your university’s portal easily. Most universities will also have a team that manages investigations, and they should provide you with a copy of the relevant procedures.

Don’t panic: Many students I’ve met who receive notification of this process immediately fear they will be excluded from their university. This is very rare. Your University will understand that students may fall short of learning guidelines and aim to provide opportunities to rectify any errors made when submitting work. It is common for universities to apply an academic penalty to work found to breach academic regulations, usually resulting in a capped mark on your next attempt.

Access support for your response: It is very common for a University to have a students' union that operates an independent advice centre. You can access this service for guidance on responding to official correspondence during this process. Do not respond without seeking advice and support. Students' Union advice is free. The Higher Education Advocate also provides support to students, but our services are not free of charge.

What to expect from your university

As with any disciplinary process, you have the right to a fair and transparent investigation, in which you and other students should feel confident in the outcome. Your university should be transparent about the investigation process and its decision-making procedures.

A university investigator operates under a lower threshold for decision-making than in legal proceedings. In a court of law, the prosecution must present a case 'beyond reasonable doubt', but most universities make decisions on 'the balance of probabilities'. This means they will decide if the evidence suggests that a breach of regulations is more likely than not to have occurred.

As a student, you should expect:

• To be provided with information on the process and procedures relating to the academic misconduct investigation.
• A transparent account of the investigation and any evidence suggesting you may have breached academic standards.
• The right to respond with your perspective.

How to respond

I always remind students of the reason they are attending university: to receive an education and achieve an academic award. If, after reading this article, you realise that you have breached regulations, be honest. University services will appreciate your honesty, and in my experience, this can expedite the process. A decision can be made quickly, and in most cases, the situation will be treated as a learning opportunity.

Honesty is also beneficial for your wellbeing and professional reputation. Trying to cover up mistakes is exhausting, draining, and damaging to your mental health. The professionals involved will usually recognise when regulations have been breached, and dishonesty will negatively impact their assessment of you. Remember, the academic staff you are dealing with may one day be asked to write a reference for you, and you do not want them to have a negative view of your integrity.

If you are struggling or made rash decisions when submitting your work, be honest about that too. You may have been dealing with personal problems, and now is the time to inform university staff about any mitigating circumstances. Your university will want to help and support you.

I am aware that some students may have purchased their work from essay mills. Being honest about this will free you from the trap set by these services, which are criminal enterprises. Some of these companies are known to blackmail individuals who have used their services, threatening to expose the truth unless a sum of money is paid. By being honest, you can free yourself from their grasp. Informing university support services about this will ensure they help and support you.

However, if you disagree with the university’s decision, you are entitled to challenge it. The balance of probabilities used to make a decision should be tested if you believe the case against you is unfounded. Mistakes can and do happen, especially with the increased use of artificial intelligence tools in assessments. I have seen careless accusations made because staff did not take the time to properly investigate their suspicions.

If you disagree with the decision, it is crucial to understand that it is up to you to respond to the case made against you. You should respond in detail to the investigation notes you receive. If possible, provide evidence that the work is your own, such as detailed digital research notes that show your research process. All electronic files have timestamps that cannot be tampered with, and you can submit these as evidence of your work. Any other materials that support your case should also be submitted.

If you suspect the case against you is weak, request an in-person hearing and challenge the evidence. Remember, the investigator must demonstrate that the alleged events are more likely than not to have occurred. If the evidence is weak, question it. Do not allow a poorly constructed case with flimsy accusations to go unchallenged. By presenting a sensible, honest, and well-evidenced case, you can influence the outcome of the investigation.

Finally, don't let this situation become a distraction. I’ll return to an earlier point: you are at university to earn an academic award and to learn. If, deep down, you agree with the decision against you but believe you can outsmart the university, you're only wasting time that could be better spent on actually learning. Stay focused on your studies—at the end of the day, your degree should be your priority.

How the Higher Education Advocate can help you?

At the Higher Education Advocate, we understand that navigating an academic misconduct process can be overwhelming and stressful. Our team offers personalised support to help you respond effectively, whether you need assistance with drafting responses, understanding university regulations, or preparing evidence for your case. While we are not a free service, our expertise and experience ensure that you receive the best guidance possible to safeguard your academic future. Don't face these challenges alone—reach out to the Higher Education Advocate for the support you need to move forward confidently and focus on your education.