Academic Integrity
Have you ever been tempted to ask someone for help with an assignment that was due in 2 days? Have you felt pressured to maintain top grades and would do anything not to drop? Academic misconduct is not tolerated at IMC, below we explore the ways in which cheating can affect you as a student.
Contract Cheating
Contract Cheating is one of the most serious forms of academic dishonesty. It is when someone else contributes to or completes your assignments and other academic work for you.

- an individual such as a private tutor, family member or friend
- a service such as a tutoring company, document sharing website, editing service, or an assignment writing service, also known as ’ghostwriting’
It is called Contract Cheating because it involves some kind of exchange or contract between two or more people and does not always have to involve money.

Serious academic consequences may include failing one or more units of study or suspension from your studies for one or more semesters. If you are an international student, you could even lose your student visa.
Providing personal and financial information to contract cheating companies puts your money and your identity at risk of being stolen. Moreover, graduates will be unqualified to practise as professionals putting the public at risk.
Academic Integrity Module
Whether you are a new or returning student, undergraduate or postgraduate, knowing what contract cheating and academic integrity entail is important.

To help you understand the concept of academic integrity and accepted behaviours, the library has made available an Academic Integrity Module below.
The module, accessible online, informs you the basics of ethical academic practice as well as values and expectations of correct academic conduct.
The module will help you among others:
- Develop skills and understanding of the rules and customs that form the basis of academic work
- Avoid cheating, plagiarism and other dishonest activities that can lead to failure or expulsion from the institute.
It is important that you familiarise yourself with the module. The knowledge will assist your academic work now and in the future.
**DISCLAIMER:
The Academic Integrity module was developed as generic material for IMC students. Students should consult their lecturer or tutor about specific requirements for their courses or units.
The AIM is an online module for all TOP students. It introduces the basics of ethical academic practice and TOP’s values and expectations of correct academic conduct. The AIM will help you to:
- Understand what it means to work with Academic Integrity
- Develop skills and understanding of the rules and customs that form the basis of academic work
- Avoid cheating, plagiarism and other dishonest activities that can lead to failure or expulsion from the institute
- Become familiar with TOP’s Student Academic Integrity Policy
All students enrolled at TOP are strongly recommended to complete the module by week 6 of their first semester (before submission of the first assignment***).
***For every assignment submission, students are required to complete and attach a Cover Sheet declaring that the assignment is their own work. Please click HERE (PDF) to download the Cover Sheet.
The AIM is available through Moodle. Once you log in to your Moodle account (login details are provided when you enroll in a course), you will find the AIM listed on your My home page, along with the other units you are enrolled in. The link to the AIM site will remain on your My home page throughout the duration of your enrollment at TOP to allow continued access to the information.
There are no credit points awarded for the AIM, but to successfully complete the module and be awarded the digital AIM badge, you must achieve a score of 85% or higher. You can repeat the AIM as many times as needed until you successfully complete it.
Upon completion of the online module, you will be awarded a digital AIM badge, which you will retain throughout your studies.
