1.2.4 Avoid collusion activity

Collaboration is a big part of academic life, and it is important to know how to work with others in an ethically appropriate manner.

Sometimes the boundaries between collaboration and collusion are a bit unclear, especially in group work situations. As a student you should be aware of the different types of scenarios where collaboration can develop into collusion in order to avoid them.

Basically, if you submit a piece of work as your own that has been wholly or partly produced by another individual, and that person knows about it and is involved in the deception, then that is collusion. It is also collusion if you help someone else to cheat, plagiarise or commit academic misconduct.

Let’s look at some of these situations more closely to test your understanding of the difference between collaboration (which is OK) and collusion (which is not OK). Read these five scenarios and decide if the student exchange is collaboration or collusion.

Question 1 Question 2 Question 3 Question 4 Question 5

Question 1.

Student 1: Hi guys, I'm here to work on our group assignment. The tutor told us we need to work together to research the topic, but submit our final reports individually. So how do we go about it?

Student 2: What if we divide it up equally? You and I can go research the first part, and then Susie and John can do the second. Then we can just meet up and tell each other what we've found.

Student 1: Ok, that sounds good. Let's do that.

  1. Collaboration
  2. Collusion

Question 2.

Student 1: Ok I've done my research, here it is. What about you guys?

Student 2: Yes I did mine but Michael was sick so he hasn't been able to do anything. He asked if we could just send him what we've found and tell the tutor that he helped us with it.

Student 1: But he hasn't actually helped at all ... isn't that a bit unfair?

Student 2: Well he said he will write up the reference list for us so that we don't all have to do it.

Student 1: Oh ok then, I guess that's alright.

  1. Collaboration
  2. Collusion

Question 3.

Student 1: The tutor said that we can discuss our findings together. So are you ready to talk about that second section?

Student 2: Yeah sure, that will be helpful. But don't we have to go off and write it up separately?

Student 1: Yeah, the tutor said that the final report should be written individually. But I think it's ok to discuss our ideas together.

  1. Collaboration
  2. Collusion

Question 4.

Student 1: Did you finish the individual assignment, the research report?

Student 2: I did the start of it but I didn't know what to write in the conclusion. Maybe I can just copy yours? I'll change it a bit, I promise.

Student 1: Um, yeah I guess you can look at it. But don't get me into trouble!

Student 2: Don't worry, it'll be fine.

Student 1: Oh ok, I guess.

  1. Collaboration
  2. Collusion

Question 5.

Student 1: Ok, I'm ready to hand in my report. The tutor said that even though we wrote our own reports, we need to acknowledge the other group members who helped with the research.

Student 2: But Jane didn't do anything! Are you going to put her name on it?

Student 1: Well yes, she asked me if I could just put her name on the report, otherwise she will fail the unit. She said she was really sorry and that she'd been sick. She was supposed to be in our group so I guess it can't hurt. I don't want to make her fail so I'll put her name on it.

  1. Collaboration
  2. Collusion