What is considered cheating at exams?
If you engage in actions that that are not in accordance with the rules for conducting the specific examination and the academic expectations set for the candidates, you may be suspected of cheating or attempted cheating. The action should be likely to give you an unfair advantage at the examination, but it is not required that you have used the advantage.
You may be suspected of cheating or attempted cheating if, for example, you:
- do not provide information about sources or give up fictitious sources.
- give the impression that the answer paper is more independent than it actually is.
- have access to or use aids that are not allowed.
- collaborate with others in ways that are not allowed.
- reuse your own previous work in ways that are not allowed.
- have unauthorized access to the examination material outside the examination.
In the evaluation of whether an action should be considered cheating or attempted cheating, the university shall take into account your study experience and the examination's study level, as well as the information and training on the use of sources and academic integrity that you have had access to.
You will find information about legal examination support materials in the course description.
Plagiarism check of submitted texts
When you write academic texts, you must show what thoughts and reflections are your own and what you have borrowed from others' work. This allows the reader to look up the sources you have used, examine the facts and verify your results.
UiO uses the programme Ouriginal to detect copying in submitted texts. Ouriginal compares submitted texts with online resources, text databases and other submitted texts at UiO and other Norwegian higher education institutions.
Cheating on compulsory activities
Compulsory activities are also covered by the rules on cheating or attempted cheating. What may be counted as cheating on compulsory activities will largely correspond to what may be counted as cheating on examinations.
Consequences of cheating
The consequence of cheating or attempted cheating may be the annulment of examinations, exclusion from the University of Oslo and loss of right to sit examinations at other universities and university colleges in Norway for up to one year. In particularly serious cases, you may be excluded from the University of Oslo and lose the right to sit examinations at other universities and university colleges in Norway for up to two years.
Administrative procedures for suspected cheating
UiO has routines for handling cases of suspected cheating or attempted cheating. The routines also include information on the rights of students who are suspected of cheating or attempted cheating.
The University of Oslo's appeals committee makes decisions in cases of suspected cheating or attempted cheating and determines the sanctions to be implemented. The appeals committee's decision may be appealed to a national appeals committee.
Questions?
Contact the faculty's information centre.