, PLEASE USE THIS DOCUMENT AS A GUIDE TO ANSWER YOUR ASSIGNMENT
1. The University of South Africa (UNISA) has introduced a compulsory module on integrity in
education to address the increased cheating and dishonesty among students in higher education.
Think back to a specific aspect of the University Integrity Course ( for example, plagiarism, AI
usage, or referencing) that challenged your previous understanding of 'original work.'
Draft Copy
In the University of South Africa's integrity course, I learnt a lot about the use of AI and how it
affects what we consider 'original work'. Before, I didn't see the big problem with using AI to help
with assignments or projects. I thought as long as the final work was mine, it would be okay. But the
course showed me that even if the AI just gives suggestions, it still counts as plagiarism if I don't
mention it or if it takes over too much of the work. This challenged my idea that as long as I wasn’t
copying word for word, it wouldn’t be cheating. It made me realise how much responsibility I have
to ensure that everything I submit is genuinely my own effort, and that I should be careful of
over-relying on technology.
The course also made me more aware of referencing. I always knew that I should reference sources,
but I never understood how important it was to give credit for every piece of information I used.
Before, I sometimes paraphrased without fully citing, thinking it was okay as long as it wasn’t a
direct quote. However, after learning about academic integrity, I see that referencing is a crucial part
of ensuring that I am not stealing someone else’s ideas. It’s my responsibility to make sure I am
following all rules and to avoid any shortcuts that can damage my academic reputation.
1. The University of South Africa (UNISA) has introduced a compulsory module on integrity in
education to address the increased cheating and dishonesty among students in higher education.
Think back to a specific aspect of the University Integrity Course ( for example, plagiarism, AI
usage, or referencing) that challenged your previous understanding of 'original work.'
Draft Copy
In the University of South Africa's integrity course, I learnt a lot about the use of AI and how it
affects what we consider 'original work'. Before, I didn't see the big problem with using AI to help
with assignments or projects. I thought as long as the final work was mine, it would be okay. But the
course showed me that even if the AI just gives suggestions, it still counts as plagiarism if I don't
mention it or if it takes over too much of the work. This challenged my idea that as long as I wasn’t
copying word for word, it wouldn’t be cheating. It made me realise how much responsibility I have
to ensure that everything I submit is genuinely my own effort, and that I should be careful of
over-relying on technology.
The course also made me more aware of referencing. I always knew that I should reference sources,
but I never understood how important it was to give credit for every piece of information I used.
Before, I sometimes paraphrased without fully citing, thinking it was okay as long as it wasn’t a
direct quote. However, after learning about academic integrity, I see that referencing is a crucial part
of ensuring that I am not stealing someone else’s ideas. It’s my responsibility to make sure I am
following all rules and to avoid any shortcuts that can damage my academic reputation.
