Cheating during examinations
To deceive during examinations, commonly referred to as cheating, is a violation of the rules that the University of Gothenburg takes very seriously. Disciplinary measures are a warning or a suspension from studies up to six months.
What is considered as cheating?
Cheating is a commonly used word for the legal term attempt to deceive during examinations. Different forms of cheating may lead to a warning or suspension for up to six months.
Cheating is an attempt to misrepresent your performance in an examination or any other assessment of your academic work. Common forms of cheating are plagiarism, the prohibited use of generative AI, the use of a prohibited aid, and prohibited collaboration.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism involves presenting someone else's text or other material as your own by not citing a source or indicating that you are using a quotation.
Examples of plagiarism are:
- using phrases from someone else’s work, where only a few words are replaced with synonyms, whether or not the source is cited
- paraphrasing the content of someone else's work without acknowledging the source
- reproducing someone else's text through a verbatim translation without indicating that it is a translated quotation
- copying, reproducing, or using tables, diagrams, or images from someone else's work without citing the source
Prohibited use of generative AI
It is considered cheating to use generative AI to complete any part of an examination that you, as a student, are expected to do yourself or to present AI-generated outputs, including text, as your own work. Other uses of generative AI may be prohibited in your course or programme. For more information, please see the University’s guidance for students on the use of generative AI in their studies.
Prohibited aid
The use of aids not permitted in examination instructions is considered cheating. Aids often prohibited include notes, mobile phones, books and laptops.
Prohibited collaboration
Collaborating and communicating with others in ways not permitted by examination instructions is considered cheating.
Other forms of cheating
Other actions, such as falsifying certificates or signatures, may also be considered cheating.
Suspected cheating will be reported
If a suspected case to deceive during examinations (cheating) is discovered, it must be investigated by the department concerned and, if suspicion remains, reported to the Vice-Chancellor. The case may be dealt with by the University’s Disciplinary Board, which decides on any disciplinary measures.
Disciplinary measures are a warning or suspension from the studies up to six months. The most common disciplinary measure decided when a student has attempted to deceive during an examination is suspension from their studies for six weeks.
Disciplinary matters