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Unit outline_

GCST6901: Cultural Policy

Semester 2, 2023 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

This unit examines cultural policy across a range of sectors such as museums and heritage, the arts, media, and the cultural industries. It will provide theoretical perspectives and practical insight into policy formation processes in Australia and internationally. The multiple actors and rationales that shape policy and ground claims for its relevance amid social change and cultural diversity are considered. Students learn how to analyse policies in relation to the institutional, social and political contexts of their emergence.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Gender and Cultural Studies
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Josto Luzzu, josto.luzzu@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Anthea Taylor, anthea.taylor@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment Research essay
Student will execute the research they proposed in their essay proposal.
50% Formal exam period
Due date: 17 Nov 2023 at 23:59
3000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Participation hurdle task Tutorial participation
Assessed in tutorials throughout semester.
10% Ongoing n/a
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment Policy analysis
Analysis of a chosen policy selected from a list provided by the lecturer.
30% Week 06
Due date: 08 Sep 2023 at 23:59
1250 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO2
Assignment Research plan
Research plan in preparation for final research essay
10% Week 11
Due date: 10 Oct 2023 at 23:59
250 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO4 LO3 LO2
hurdle task = hurdle task ?

Assessment summary

Participation is worth 10% of your grade. You must achieve at least a pass in participation in order to be eligible to pass the unit.

Students are required to come to tutorials prepared to discuss the week's lecture and set readings. 
Attending the lecture before the tutorial is required, so that you are across the week's material.

Tutorials are a space for students to engage with each other and have respectful dialogue, in a spirit of intellectual generosity. The tutor will facilitate this process, but it is up to each student to make these interactions valuable and fruitful.

Prior to attending the weekly tutorial, it is expected that all students will prepare at least 1-2 questions or comments on each required reading to promote further class discussion.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

ASSESSMENT AND GRADE DESCRIPTORS

This guide indicates broadly the qualitative judgements implied by the various grades which may be awarded. A more precise evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of individual essays will be provided in examiners’ comments. Evaluation is made with due consideration of the different standards likely to be achieved by students in junior and senior units.

85%+ (High Distinction)

Work of exceptional standard.

Written work demonstrates initiative and originality in research and reading; clear, critical analysis of the examined material; and innovative, insightful interpretation of evidence. Interdisciplinary work at this level effectively incorporates different perspectives to develop a rich and thorough analysis of its object of study. It makes an important contribution to debate, engages with the values, assumptions and contested meanings contained within original evidence, and develops abstract or theoretical arguments on the strength of detailed research and interpretation. The work is properly documented, and the writing is characterised by creativity, style, and precision.

75-84% (Distinction)

Work of a superior standard. 

Written work demonstrates initiative in research and reading, complex understanding and original analysis of subject matter and its context. The work takes a critical, interrogative stance and makes a good attempt to move beyond the underlying assumptions of a topic, recognizing key concepts, theories and principles. Interdisciplinary work at this level successfully integrates differing perspectives. The work is properly documented and the writing is characterised by style, clarity, and some creativity.

70-74% (High Credit)

Highly competent work, demonstrating clear capacity to complete Honours successfully. This level of work is considered “above average”. 

The work shows evidence of extensive reading and initiative in research, a sound grasp of subject matter and appreciation of key issues and context. The work engages critically and sometimes creatively with the question or task, and attempts an analytical evaluation of material. It makes a good attempt to critique various interpretations, and shows evidence of the ability to conceptualise and problematise issues and to go beyond the face value of core concepts. It demonstrates some evidence of the ability to think theoretically as well as in concrete terms. Interdisciplinary work at this level has a reasonably strong awareness of the fields and contexts that inform the work. Well written and properly documented.

65-69% (Low Credit)

Very competent work though not necessarily of the standard to complete Honours

Written work contains evidence of comprehensive reading and some evidence of independent thought. It offers a synthesis and critical evaluation of material and takes a position in relation to various interpretations. It makes a coherent and sustained argument, drawing on relevant concepts from readings. Interdisciplinary work at this level demonstrates some awareness of the fields and contexts that inform the work. Well written and properly documented.

60-64% (High Pass)

Work has considerable merit, though Honours is not automatically recommended. 

Written work contains evidence of a broad and reasonably accurate command of the subject matter and some sense of its broader significance. It offers some evaluation and synthesis of material and demonstrates an effort to go beyond the essential reading. The work contains clear focus on the principal issues, understanding of relevant arguments and diverse interpretations, and a coherent argument grounded in relevant evidence, though there may be some weaknesses with regard to clarity and/or structure of the argument. Clearly written and properly documented.

55-59% (Medium Pass)

Work of a satisfactory standard. 

Written work meets basic requirements in terms of reading and research, and demonstrates a reasonable understanding of subject matter. Offers a synthesis of relevant material and shows a genuine effort to avoid paraphrasing. The work has a logical and comprehensible structure and acceptable documentation, and attempts to mount an argument, though there may be weaknesses in particular areas.

50-54% (Low Pass)

Work of an acceptable standard. 

Written work contains evidence of minimal reading and some understanding of the subject matter, offers descriptive summary of material relevant to the task, but may have a tendency to be purely descriptive, to paraphrase or rely on polemical assertion rather than careful analysis and argumentation. The work makes a reasonable attempt to organise material logically and comprehensibly and to provide scholarly documentation. There may be gaps in any or all of these areas.

Below 50% (Fail)

Work not of an acceptable standard. 

Work may fail for any or all of the following reasons: unacceptable levels of paraphrasing; irrelevance of content; polemical assertion without evidence or analysis; presentation, grammar or structure so poor it cannot be understood; submitted very late without extension.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Introduction (culture + policy) Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 02 Cultural policy in Australia Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Tutorial 1 Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 03 'Valuing' culture Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Tutorial 2 Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 04 The 'creative cities' debate Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Tutorial 3 Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 05 European Capital of Culture Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Tutorial 4 Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 06 Globalisation Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Tutorial 5 Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 07 Cultural Policy and Neoliberalism Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Tutorial 6 Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 08 Cultural Policy and Street Art Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Tutorial 7 Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 09 Creative labourers Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Tutorial 8 Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 10 Research essay reading/consultation week Workshop (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 11 Audiences and participation Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Tutorial 10 Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 12 Museums, digital media and the pandemic Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Tutorial 11 Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 13 Overview, reflections and final essay workshop Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Tutorial 12 Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5

Attendance and class requirements

  • Attendance: According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.
  • Participation: Besides turning up to lectures and tutorials, which are a requirement for passing the course, you are also expected to have completed the set readings and to be prepared to discuss these in tutorials, including leading the discussion in one specific week. This week will be allocated in the first tutorial. You will be marked on:

    • preparedness: on having completed the set readings and turning up to tutorials.

    • contribution to discussion: on your willingness to engage in informed and productive discussion and debate.

    • conduct: on being able to engage in debate respectfully and constructively with your peers.

    Participation through Canvas forums will also contribute to your participation grade.
  • Lectures: Lectures will be delivered live. As tutorials follow the lecture and depend on its content, please ensure you attend the lecture.
  • Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Required readings  

All readings appear in Canvas under the ‘Reading List’ tab.

Week 1 (1 Aug): Introduction

Required Readings

Rosenstein, C. (2018), Chapter 2 ‘What is Cultural Policy?’ in Understanding Cultural Policy, Routledge, pp. 48-69. 

Mulcahy, K. V. (2006). ‘Cultural Policy: Definitions and Theoretical Approaches’, Journal of Arts Management, Law, and Society, 35.4: 319–330.

Week 2 (8 Aug): Cultural Policy in Australia

Required readings:

Craik, J., McAllister, L., & Davis, G. (2003). ‘Paradoxes and contradictions in government approaches to contemporary cultural policy: an Australian perspective’, International Journal of Cultural Policy, 9.1: 17–33.

Caust, J. (2019) ‘The continuing saga around arts funding and the cultural wars in Australia’, International Journal of Cultural Policy, 25.6: 765-779.

Recommended readings:

Eltham, B. & Verhoeven, D. (2020) ‘A “natural experiment” in Australian cultural policy: Australian Government funding cuts disproportionately affect companies that produce more new work and have larger audiences’, International Journal of Cultural Policy, 26.1: 81-94.

Rowe, D. et al (2016) ‘Transforming cultures? From Creative Nation to Creative Australia’, Media International Australia, 158.1: 6-16.

Week 3 (15 Aug): ‘Valuing’ culture

Required readings:

C. Gray (2007) ‘Commodification and Instrumentality in Cultural Policy’, International Journal of Cultural Policy, 13.2: 203-15.

Belfiore, E. (2020) ‘Whose cultural value? Representation, power and creative industries’, International Journal of Cultural Policy, 26.3: 383-397. 

Recommended readings:

Gibson, L. (2008) ‘In defence of instrumentality’, Cultural Trends, 17.4: 247-257.

O’Brien, D. (2014) Chapter 6: ‘The Value of Culture’ in Cultural Policy Management: Value and Modernity in the Creative Industries, Routledge, pp. 112-130.

Week 4 (22 Aug): The ‘Creative Cities’ debate 

Required readings:

A.J. Scott (2006) ‘Creative Cities: Conceptual Issues and Policy Questions’, Journal of Urban Affairs, 28.1: 1-17.

L. Kong (2014) ‘Transnational Mobilities and the Making of Creative Cities’, Theory, Culture & Society, 31.7/8: 273–289.

Recommended readings:

J. McGuigan (2009) ‘Doing a Florida thing: the creative class thesis and cultural policy’, International Journal of Cultural Policy, 15.3: 291-300.

Flew, T. (2013) ‘Introduction: Creative Industries and Urban Development’ in Creative Industries and Urban Development: Creative Cities in the 21St Century, Routledge, pp.12-61.

Grodach. (2017). Urban cultural policy and creative city making. Cities, 68, 82–91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2017.05.015

Week 5 (29 Aug): The European Capital of Culture

Required readings:

Mittag, J. (2013), ‘The changing concept of the European Capital of Culture’, in The Cultural Politics of Europe: European Capitals of Culture and European Union since the 1980s (Vol. 24). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203081082

Sassatelli. (2008). EUROPEAN CULTURAL SPACE IN THE EUROPEAN CITIES OF CULTURE: Europeanization and cultural policy. European Societies10(2), 225–245. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616690701835311

Recommended

Calligaro, O. (2013), ‘Florence as European City of Culture for 1986 and the legitimisation of an EC cultural policy’ in Patel, K. K. (Ed.), in The Cultural Politics of Europe: European Capitals of Culture and European Union since the 1980s (Vol. 24). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203081082

Week 6 (5 Sep): Globalization and Cultural Policy

Required

Ryoo. (2009). Globalization, or the logic of cultural hybridization: the case of the Korean wave. Asian Journal of Communication19(2), 137–151. https://doi.org/10.1080/01292980902826427

Lee. (2019) Chapter 6: ‘The Korean Wave Inside Out’, in Cultural Policy in South Korea: Making a New Patron State (1st ed., Vol. 1). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315736617

Recommended readings:

Kwon, & Kim, J. (2014). The cultural industry policies of the Korean government and the Korean Wave. International Journal of Cultural Policy : CP, 20(4), 422–439. https://doi.org/10.1080/10286632.2013.829052

Nam. (2013). The Cultural Political Economy of the Korean Wave in East Asia: Implications for Cultural Globalization Theories. Asian Perspective, 37(2), 209–231. https://doi.org/10.1353/apr.2013.0008

Policy analysis due.

Week 7 (12 Sep): Neoliberalism and negotiated Cultural Policy

Required Readings

Pholsena. (2006). Chapter 3: ‘Cultural Order and Discipline: The Politics of National Culture’, in Post-war Laos: The Politics of Culture, History and Identity. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.

Laungaramsri P. (2015) Commodifying Sovereignty: Special Economic Zones and the Neoliberalization of the Lao Frontier. In: Santasombat Y. (eds) Impact of China’s Rise on the Mekong Region. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.sydney.edu.au/10.1057/9781137476227_5

Recommended readings

Ong, A. (2007). Neoliberalism as a Mobile Technology. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers32(1), 3–8. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4639996

Nyiri. (2006). The Yellow Man’s Burden: Chinese Migrants on a Civilizing Mission. The China Journal (Canberra, A.C.T.)56(56), 83–106. https://doi.org/10.2307/20066187

Nyíri, P. (2016). 2. Realms of Free Trade, Enclaves of Order: Chinese-Built ‘Instant Cities’ in Northern Laos. In M. Saxer & J. Zhang (Ed.), The Art of Neighbouring: Making Relations Across China's Borders (pp. 57-72). Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. https://doi.org/10.1515/9789048532629-005

Week 8 (19 Sep): Cultural policy and Street Art

Required readings:

MacDowall. (2006). In Praise of 70K: Cultural Heritage and Graffiti Style. Continuum (Mount Lawley, W.A.)20(4), 471–484. https://doi.org/10.1080/10304310600987320

  Ulmer. (2017). Writing Urban Space: Street Art, Democracy, and Photographic Cartography. Cultural Studies, Critical Methodologies, 17(6), 491–502. https://doi.org/10.1177/1532708616655818

Recommended readings:

Bruce, C. (2010) Public Surfaces Beyond the Great Wall: Communication and Graffiti Culture in China. Invisible Culture, 15.

Mcauliffe. (2012). Graffiti or Street Art? Negotiating the Moral Geographies of the Creative City. Journal of Urban Affairs34(2), 189–206. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9906.2012.00610.x

Week 9 (3 Oct): Creative labourers

Required readings:

McRobbie, A. (2016) ‘Unpacking the Politics of Creative Labour’, Be Creative: Making a Living in the New Culture Industries, Polity Press, pp. 33-59.

Comunian, R. & England, L. (2020) ‘Creative and cultural work without filters: Covid-19 and exposed precarity in the creative economy’, Cultural Trends, 29.2: 112-128.

Recommended readings:

Stevenson, D. (2020) ‘The unfashionable cultural worker? Considering the demography and practice of artists in Greater Western Sydney’, International Journal of Cultural Policy, 26.1: 61-80.

Allen, K. (2020) ‘Young Women’s Aspirations and Transitions into, through and away from Contemporary Creative Work’ in S. Luckman & S. Taylor, Pathways into Creative Working Lives, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 83-99.

Week 10 (10 Oct): Reading week – research essay proposal preparation.

Week 11 (17 Oct): Audiences and participation

Required readings: 

Hadley, S. (2018) Chapter 2 in Audience development and cultural policy, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 25-56.

Jancovich, L. & Stevenson, D. (2019), ‘The “problem” of participation in cultural policy’ in B. Eriksson, C. Stage, B. Valtysson (eds), Cultures of Participation: Arts, Digital Media and Cultural Institutions, pp.167-184.

Recommended readings:

Beanman, J. (2016) ‘Citizenship as cultural: Towards a theory of cultural citizenship’, Sociology Compass, 10.10: 849-857.

Mihelj, S, Leguina, A, Downey J. (2019) ‘Culture is digital: Cultural participation, diversity and the digital divide’, New Media & Society, 21(7):1465-1485. 

Research essay proposal due: 20 October

Week 12 (24 Oct): Museums, digital media and the pandemic

Required readings:

Samaroudi, S. Rodriguez, K. Echavarria & Perry, L. (2020) ‘Heritage in lockdown: digital provision of memory institutions in the UK and US of America during the COVID-19 pandemic’, Museum Management and Curatorship, 35:4, 337-361.

Agostino, D., Arnaboldi, M. & Lampis, A. (2020) ‘Italian state museums during the COVID-19 crisis: from onsite closure to online openness’, Museum Management and Curatorship, 35:4, 362-372.

Recommended readings:

Valtysson, B. (2020) Chapter 2: ‘Digital Communication, Digital Media and Cultural Policy’, in Digital Cultural Politics: From Policy to Practice, Palgrave Macmillan, pp.13-46.

Hylland, O. (2017) ‘Even Better than the Real Thing? Digital Copies and Digital Museums in a Digital Cultural Policy’, Culture Unbound, 9.1.

Week 13 (31 Oct): Course wrap up/essay prep

Recommended reading:

Paquette, J. & Redaelli, E. (2015) Chapter 6: ‘Cultural Policy Research: Ideas, Institutions, and Interests’ in Arts management and cultural policy research, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 77-91.

Research essay due: 17 November

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. identify and critically assess theoretical perspectives on cultural policy
  • LO2. analyse cultural policies in relation to the institutional, cultural and political contexts of their emergence
  • LO3. comprehend the range of actors, rationales and factors that bear upon processes of policy formation, implementation and evaluation
  • LO4. assess the relationships between policy, social change and cultural diversity
  • LO5. clearly express well-informed knowledge of cultural policy through written and verbal forms of academic communication.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

The weekly topics have been updated to take account for developments in the field.

Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism

Academic honesty is a core value of the University, so all students are required to act honestly, ethically and with integrity. This means that the University is opposed to and will not tolerate academic dishonesty or plagiarism, and will treat all allegations of academic dishonesty and plagiarism seriously. The consequences of engaging in plagiarism and academic dishonesty, along with the process by which they are determined and applied, are set out in the Academic Honesty in Coursework Policy. You can find these documents on the University Policy Register at http://sydney.edu.au/policies (enter “Academic Honesty” in the search field).

Definitions

According to the Policy, plagiarism means representing another person’s work (i.e., ideas, findings or words) as one’s own work by presenting, copying or reproducing it without appropriate acknowledgement of the source. Academic dishonesty means seeking to obtain or obtaining academic advantage for oneself or others (including in the assessment or publication of work) by dishonest or unfair means. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:

  • Resubmission (or recycling) of work that is the same, or substantially the same as work previously submitted for assessment in the same or in a different unit of study. Every unit of study expects each student to produce new material based upon research conducted in that unit;
  • Dishonest plagiarism;
  • Engaging another person or artificial intelligence to complete or contribute to an assessment in your place; and
  • Various forms of misconduct in examinations (including copying from another student and taking prohibited materials into an examination venue).

For further information on academic integrity, check the Academic dishonesty and plagiarism webpage.

Use of Similarity Detection Software

Students should be aware that Assignments submitted in this unit of study may be submitted to similarity detection software. This software searches for matches between text in your written assessment task and text sourced from the Internet, published works, and assignments that have previously been submitted for analysis.

There will always be some degree of text-matching when using this software. Text-matching may occur in use of direct quotations, technical terms and phrases, or the listing of bibliographic material. This does not mean you will automatically be accused of academic dishonesty or plagiarism, although this software reports may be used as evidence in academic dishonesty and plagiarism decision-making processes. Further information about this software is available at http://sydney.edu.au/students/academic-dishonesty-and-plagiarism/detecting-and-reporting-academic-dishonesty.html.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.