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Accused of plagiarism, any advice please! I didn’t plagiarise.

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Original post by Reality Check
I think you need to ask him to clarify this comment. I can't really work out what he's trying to say here and I agree it's confusing.

I did I emailed him, he said the grade was basic pass based on the ACO outcome.

He said this grade was most appropriate, due to ACO.

He also said consulted other people like ACO and course leader etc.. Pretty much saying basic pass was the most appropriate in this situation.

I responded yesterday, telling him I was unaware of this and that I would be marked normally based on academic merit.

He wrote on my coursework feedback that my coursework deserves a higher grade and he’s capped it pretty much. Despite ACO saying no academic penalty will be applied and it will be marked normally.

This is why I’m so frustrated and confused with all of this.

I’m being told one thing and another happens. Hence reason for complain and appeal. I’ve taken screenshots of everything as evidence.
Original post by Anonymous
I did I emailed him, he said the grade was basic pass based on the ACO outcome.

He said this grade was most appropriate, due to ACO.

He also said consulted other people like ACO and course leader etc.. Pretty much saying basic pass was the most appropriate in this situation.

I responded yesterday, telling him I was unaware of this and that I would be marked normally based on academic merit.

He wrote on my coursework feedback that my coursework deserves a higher grade and he’s capped it pretty much. Despite ACO saying no academic penalty will be applied and it will be marked normally.

This is why I’m so frustrated and confused with all of this.

I’m being told one thing and another happens. Hence reason for complain and appeal. I’ve taken screenshots of everything as evidence.

I think it's probably best if this issue enters the complaints process (as you have done).
Original post by Reality Check
I think it's probably best if this issue enters the complaints process (as you have done).

I agree.

Thank you for your help.

I don’t think he’s followed correct procedure by ignoring what original ACO woman decided and said to do. He’s given me academic penalty, when she stated it wasn’t to be given.

I’m going to request someone else marks my coursework work unbiased and on academic merit. I also want someone else to mark my exam unbiased. I don’t trust him or his colleague anymore.

I don’t mind getting bad mark, but I want a fair mark. He has capped me to basic pass despite being told to mark normally and on academic merit.
He responded saying my mark wasn’t capped. But, what he’s saying isn’t correlating to the feedback I received.

He wrote this on my feedback “Whilst the rubric suggests a higher grade, the grade given reflects the (guilty) academic merit of the work”.

So if the rubric suggests higher grade, that’s what I should be given? However, he’s based the mark on (guilty) even though I should receive no academic penalty.

I’m going to go ahead with the complaint and appeal.
Original post by Anonymous
He responded saying my mark wasn’t capped. But, what he’s saying isn’t correlating to the feedback I received.

He wrote this on my feedback “Whilst the rubric suggests a higher grade, the grade given reflects the (guilty) academic merit of the work”.

So if the rubric suggests higher grade, that’s what I should be given? However, he’s based the mark on (guilty) even though I should receive no academic penalty.

I’m going to go ahead with the complaint and appeal.

What he wrote is confusing, so if he's now saying he wasn't influenced by your academic misconduct, then something's not adding up in terms of how he marked your work. I think you're right query his comments versus his actions, especially if you have the ACO's decision in writing.
Original post by PhoenixFortune
What he wrote is confusing, so if he's now saying he wasn't influenced by your academic misconduct, then something's not adding up in terms of how he marked your work. I think you're right query his comments versus his actions, especially if you have the ACO's decision in writing.

Yes, this is why I’m so puzzled. I personally believe he capped my work basic pass due to ACO decision of being guilty which is what he said here pretty much.

Yes I do have it in writing, it’s on my outcome letter. They said “The Academic Conduct Officer has determined that the academic penalty is none. You will be marked on academic merit”.

If the decision is already made, why is he asking other people what to do? Why not follow what the original ACO has said to do?

He also said in my coursework feedback that it deserves a higher grade.. If that’s the case, why haven’t I received that? Why has he penalised me academically, despite ACO saying no academic penalty is to be applied?

When I emailed him, he updated the coursework feedback. I think he did this to cover his back.

I think it’s best if I go ahead with the complaint and see how it goes from there. I have taken screenshots of everything and on my phone it says date and time of screenshot taken. I also have ACO outcome letter as proof that my work should be marked on academic merit and not be penalised.
You need to now raise this to someone else. Your academic advisor if you have one or head of the course. Let them resolve it. You and this person are clearly at cross purposes of understanding.
Original post by Catherine1973
You need to now raise this to someone else. Your academic advisor if you have one or head of the course. Let them resolve it. You and this person are clearly at cross purposes of understanding.

Yes I have done that. Thanks for your advice.

I made a complaint and appeal on Thursday. I received response via email on Friday. They have contacted registry and cc’d the person in charge.

I’m not going to contact him anymore despite in seminars as I need to attend.

I’m just waiting for a response from them.

If I don’t get response by Wednesday/Thursday, I will follow up and call as I’m working Friday and Saturday so may not get a chance to ring.

I’ve also taken screenshots of everything as proof and I have ACO outcome letter, where it states I shouldn’t receive academic penalty but he has given me 1. By stating rubric suggests I receive higher grade, but he’s given me a lower one due to ACO guilty outcome.
He’s the course director ☹️
Update: I’ve sent ACO outcome letter and screenshots of feedback to Course Registry.

He said he will speak to Stephen and ACO, query this and find out what happened.

However,

On the ACO outcome letter it states I will receive no academic penalty. It also states I will be marked on academic merit.

He also confirms I should get higher grade by stating “Whilst rubric suggests higher grade, the grade given reflects (guilty) etc”.. But I was informed I would be marked normally and be given no academic penalty which the letter states.

By saying I should receive higher grade and then given me a lower one, doesn’t that prove I’ve been given academic penalty?

Am I right or wrong?

On the letter it also states it’s minor and I missed out quotation marks.. Seems little harsh just for quotation marks.
Student Union Advice responded saying I can’t question academic judgement. But, I don’t understand how I am questioning academic judgment? He stated himself on coursework feedback that it’s a higher grade and meets rubric.

ACO said in my outcome letter no academic penalty to be applied and marked on academic merit.

Yet I’ve received lower grade?

I’m so baffled and confused.
Original post by Anonymous
Student Union Advice responded saying I can’t question academic judgement. But, I don’t understand how I am questioning academic judgment? He stated himself on coursework feedback that it’s a higher grade and meets rubric.

ACO said in my outcome letter no academic penalty to be applied and marked on academic merit.

Yet I’ve received lower grade?

I’m so baffled and confused.

I think you need to wait until the complaints process has started, otherwise you'll just keep going over old ground that no one can help you with. Once the process has started, they will notify you when key decisions have been made.

Did anyone tell you how long the complaints/appeals process would take?
Original post by PhoenixFortune
I think you need to wait until the complaints process has started, otherwise you'll just keep going over old ground that no one can help you with. Once the process has started, they will notify you when key decisions have been made.

Did anyone tell you how long the complaints/appeals process would take?


At the moment it’s not complaint or appeal as such.

The Registry Adviser said he will speak to the person who marked my work and ACO Officer then get back to me by Friday.

I'm really worried.
Original post by Anonymous
At the moment it’s not complaint or appeal as such.

The Registry Adviser said he will speak to the person who marked my work and ACO Officer then get back to me by Friday.

I'm really worried.

Well, in a previous post you said:
Original post by Anonymous
I made a complaint and appeal on Thursday.

So I assumed that the official process had started. If you want to make an official complaint, you'll need to look at your university's guide for that. Otherwise, all you can do is wait.
(edited 4 years ago)
Original post by PhoenixFortune
Well, in a previous post you said:

So I assumed that the official process had started. If you want to make an official complaint, you'll need to look at your university's guide for that. Otherwise, all you can do is wait.

Sorry for the confusion.

Today I contacted the registry team because I received an email. He thought I was challenging academic judgment but that wasn’t the case. So I thought it’s best if I ring him and speak to him, rather through email to explain better.

He told me he will look into it, answer by Friday.

I have made a complaint and they just got back to me today. They put me towards ACO team and told me to discuss what happened to them. The ACO pretty much said investigation has begun.

ACO team have requested screenshots of feedback and I told them that I thought the ACO had no outcome on my grade. Because the ACO wrote no academic penalty to be given and mark on academic merit. As it’s minor.

But I feel like I have been given one by being capped to 40% despite lecturer saying it wasn’t capped. It may have been uncapped in beginning but I think he marked it based on ACO guilty outcome when that wasn’t meant to happen.

She said “yes that’s supposed to happen”.

I will update once I receive a response from them. I really don’t think I’ve been treated fairly as I been told one thing but another happened. This has really made me upset and affected my mental health. Also the ability to revise for the exam.
He also wrote “The decision being that it would not be appropriate to fail the piece, nor grade it as more than a basic pass”.

Unless I’ve misunderstood, that means my coursework has been capped to a basic pass despite meeting the higher rubric and the ACO decision to be that my coursework to be marked on academic merit and no academic penalty to be given?
I sent this email earlier to Faculty Registry and ACO.

“I was advised to write about the situation in writing.

During my ACO meeting, I was advised that the outcome is guilty but minor. I would be marked on academic merit and no academic penalty to be given. However, I’ve received academic penalty.

As on the coursework feedback, it states ”Whilst the rubric suggests a higher grade, the grade given reflects the (guilty) academic merit of the work”.

I’m not challenging his academic judgement, but if my coursework meets the higher grade why have I been given a lower one based on ACO outcome? As I was told my coursework grade wouldn’t be affected, I was meant to be marked on academic merit with no academic penalty given.

He also wrote “The decision being that it would not be appropriate to fail the piece, nor grade it as more than a basic pass”.

Unless I’ve misunderstood, that means my coursework has been capped to a basic pass despite meeting the higher rubric and the ACO decision to be that my coursework to be marked on academic merit and no academic penalty to be given?

Please see attached ACO outcome letter and screenshots of coursework feedback.

I hope to hear from you soon.“
Reply 77
Original post by Anonymous
I sent this email earlier to Faculty Registry and ACO.

“I was advised to write about the situation in writing.

During my ACO meeting, I was advised that the outcome is guilty but minor. I would be marked on academic merit and no academic penalty to be given. However, I’ve received academic penalty.

As on the coursework feedback, it states ”Whilst the rubric suggests a higher grade, the grade given reflects the (guilty) academic merit of the work”.

I’m not challenging his academic judgement, but if my coursework meets the higher grade why have I been given a lower one based on ACO outcome? As I was told my coursework grade wouldn’t be affected, I was meant to be marked on academic merit with no academic penalty given.

He also wrote “The decision being that it would not be appropriate to fail the piece, nor grade it as more than a basic pass”.

Unless I’ve misunderstood, that means my coursework has been capped to a basic pass despite meeting the higher rubric and the ACO decision to be that my coursework to be marked on academic merit and no academic penalty to be given?

Please see attached ACO outcome letter and screenshots of coursework feedback.

I hope to hear from you soon.“

This is crazy to me.

it seems clear that you have been capped and that this cap is in fact a penalty

It is not questioning academic judgement in this instance, you are questioning the correct application of procedure (which is usually the only grounds for an appeal, actually)

Good luck, i hope you get sorted
Original post by gjd800
This is crazy to me.

it seems clear that you have been capped and that this cap is in fact a penalty

It is not questioning academic judgement in this instance, you are questioning the correct application of procedure (which is usually the only grounds for an appeal, actually)

Good luck, i hope you get sorted

Thank you! I hope so too.


Yes, apparently the “plagiarised content” wasn’t meant to be taken into consideration for the final mark. But I wasn’t made aware of this.

I’m only a student and I don’t know such definitions.

From my understanding, it’s minor.. No academic penalty and marked on academic merit.

I thought this meant I would be marked normally as the situation is minor?

They should gave me these definitions on a piece of paper so I don’t forget and can use them as reference.

In the letter I received it also stated no academic penalty and marked on academic merit.

Capping to 40% for just forgetting quotation marks is quite harsh I feel. I gave credit to the author, date and even page numbers.
No response so far. Hopefully something tomorrow!

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