4 How to avoid collusion
The previous sections have helped you to explore the difference between collaboration and collusion. The next activity will help to consolidate your thoughts.
Activity 2
Timing: Allow approximately 15 minutes.
List some things you can do to avoid collusion.
Answer
Here are some points you might have considered.
To avoid collusion:
- only share ideas, thoughts and opinions at a general level
- do make yourself aware of the ‘rules’ for any piece of assessed work that requires group work
- be clear about your own role and the role of other students in group work
- keep a careful record of who has done what in any group task
- write your own notes about what you have understood from any discussion
- keep your own work secure and in your possession (for example, password protect files on any shared electronic device)
- contact your tutor if you are having trouble with a specific question on an assignment. They will be able to offer appropriate advice and guidance.
List some things you should not do, if you want to avoid collusion.
Answer
Here are some points you might have considered.
You should not:
- complete individual assessed work while working closely with another student. The only time this would be appropriate would be if directed to by your tutor/instructions in your course/module (for example, this can be a requirement for some creative writing modules)
- rely on rules from previous courses/modules or educational institutions. Always check what the rules and regulations are on your particular course/module, alongside institutional policies and guides
- re-write, edit or record another person’s work and present it as your own
- give someone feedback on a draft assignment. Again, for some courses/modules, peer feedback (and reflection on that feedback) may be part of the tuition and assessment strategy – but this will be explicitly stated by your course/module. When in doubt – ask your tutor
- take notes from another person’s work. Study notes should reflect what you think is important/interesting about the material. Your notes should reflect your understanding of the key points
- give a copy of your assignment (in whole or in part, whether in draft format, final or marked) to anyone under any circumstances. Again, any exceptions to this will be explicitly stated in the guidance associated with your course/module. When in doubt – ask your tutor
- take a copy of another person’s work
- submit a copy of your assignment (in whole or in part, whether in draft format, final or marked) to any websites (e.g. your own blog or any ‘homework help’ or ‘essay’ sites)
- copy and paste answers to/from social network sites.