There are many reasons why a student may plagiarise: laziness, poor time management skills, ignorance of the consequences of plagiarism, etc. By presenting your own work, you are demonstrating your understanding and knowledge. Well-researched work that is properly referenced with credible sources will be looked on favourably, resulting in higher marks.
There is never an excuse for plagiarism. It undermines the academic integrity of the author, and it is a criminal act of theft that breaks a multitude of copyright laws in Australia. The section ‘Strategies to avoid plagiarism’ offers advice to help you avoid the following types of situations.
Answers to common excuses
‘I ran out of time and got desperate!’
A lack of time management skills is no excuse for plagiarism. You must be able to manage your time so that you can consider the assignment, decide how you will complete it, and undertake any research necessary to complete the work to your desired standard within a certain timeframe.
For suggestions on how to manage your time, see ‘Strategies to avoid plagiarism.’
‘I couldn’t keep up with my workload.’
At Veterinary Nurse Solutions (VNS), we are proud of the support that we provide to our students. We offer tools such as live chat and Nurse Educators dedicated to responding to your enquiries in order to support your studies as much as possible. If you find that you are not coping with the coursework, contact us before the submission deadline to discuss suitable arrangements. We understand that distance learning can be challenging, which is why we try to reduce the feeling of isolation as much as possible.
Struggling with your coursework is not an excuse for plagiarism, which can lead to you receiving a zero mark.
‘I wasn’t confident with my knowledge in this topic.’
At Veterinary Nurse Solutions (VNS), we understand that you are still learning and we do not expect you to produce the work of an experienced veterinary surgeon. However, we do expect you to consider your studies seriously and take responsibility for any areas of concern. This includes contacting us if you experience issues or anxiety regarding your coursework so we can provide alternatives and extra assistance. It is important that you are comfortable asking for help, whether that be from your Workplace Supervisor or from Student Assist with the VNS. All questions are worth asking.
Again, this is never an excuse for plagiarism. If you are unsure about a particular area, copying the work of someone else is not going to address this issue. If you ever need assistance, contact Student Assist.
‘I didn’t know how to reference.’
Just as being unaware of certain laws is not an excuse for breaking them, neither is not knowing how to reference, an excuse for not including one. It is your responsibility to take all practical measures to address all required areas of learning. If you are unsure of how to complete a particular procedure on an animal, you would ask for help. Likewise, if you are unsure of how to reference, you should also ask for help. All coursework that requires referencing clearly states this stipulation, so this is not an acceptable excuse.
‘I can’t express my ideas as well as the author can.’
An important aspect of being a student is using your research skills to develop your own unique opinion. Using research and references to develop and support your opinions gives credibility to your ideas and work. It strengthens any argument you may be developing, and demonstrates your knowledge of a particular topic. It is for these reasons that we require you to undertake a wide variety of research from credible sources. This will give you the opportunity to develop your own opinions and understanding, as well as expose you to points of view that you may not have considered.
In summary, there is never a justifiable excuse for plagiarism.