The first year milestone integrity check aims to:

• facilitate discussion about students' writing practices
• identify any development needs arising from discussions on writing and referencing
• prevent potentially more serious breaches of academic and research integrity.

If you support HDR processes, you will have access to your faculty's dedicated Canvas site for the milestone check.

Students must submit a substantial piece of written work (as required by the relevant academic unit or as agreed with their supervisor) to Turnitin (through Canvas) for similarity checking.

They are then required to send the similarity report and their milestone work to their research or coordinating supervisor for review. Their supervisor should then discuss any identified issues and their further development needs.

Resources

• Students can find out more about the integrity check and research skills support on the Student Website.
• For more information about milestone integrity checks, please contact [email protected]

The thesis integrity check is conducted by the HDR Administration Centre, who submit each student’s thesis to Turnitin for similarity checking.

A member of a University-level panel of academics (nominated by the University's deans) will assess all lodged cases. The panel member will consider the available evidence and is required to form a preliminary view regarding the potential seriousness of the alleged conduct.

Depending on the seriousness of the allegation, the panel member will then determine whether the matter:

• should be managed via faculty level processes by the relevant associate dean or, in the case of thesis-related allegations, the relevant faculty committee following the Academic Honesty Procedures 2016 (pdf, 208KB)
  
• or, referred to the director of research integrity for further investigation under the Research Code of Conduct 2019 (pdf, 194KB).

The case will be assessed and will receive one of the below determinations, and corresponding outcomes. 

No impropriety

No further outcomes.

Inappropriate academic practice

• Students may be required to attend an interview to discuss the allegation
• Students may be required to undertake additional education
• Students may be required to make corrections to data, findings, drafts, papers or other research work for appraisal by the supervisor as appropriate
• Students may also be required to attend an additional progress review, in according with the Progress Planning and Review For Higher Degree by Research Students Policy 2015 (pdf, 464KB).

Code breach

The matter will be referred to the relevant faculty or University school to be resolved following the Research Code of Conduct 2019 (pdf, 194KB) at the instruction of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research).

Research misconduct

The matter will be resolved following the Research Code of Conduct 2019 (pdf, 194KB) and University of Sydney (Student Discipline) Rule 2016 (pdf, 284KB). 

See section 15 of the Academic Honesty Procedures 2016 (pdf, 208KB) for further detail and information about the handling of allegations of potential impropriety made during a student's candidature.

The case will be assessed and receive one of the below determinations, and corresponding outcomes.

No impropriety

No further outcomes.

Minor inappropriate academic practice

• Students may be required to make changes or emendations to address deficiencies identified in the thesis.

Inappropriate academic practice

• Students may be required to make changes or emendations to address deficiencies identified in the thesis.
• The faculty or University school may decline to examine the thesis.

Where examination of the thesis is declined:

• Students may be permitted to re-enrol in order to complete any necessary actions or changes and resubmit the thesis.
• Students may be required to show good cause as to why they should be permitted to re-enrol.

Code breach

The matter will be referred to the relevant faculty or University school to be resolved in accordance with the Research Code of Conduct 2019 at the instruction of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research).

Research misconduct

The matter will be resolved following the Research Code of Conduct 2019 (pdf, 194KB) and University of Sydney (Student Discipline) Rule 2016 (pdf, 284KB).

See Section 16 of the Academic Honesty Procedures 2016 (pdf, 208KB) for further detail and information about the handling of allegations of potential impropriety made during a student's candidature.