Naturally, research in the field of IT involves making use of the scholarly literature and other sources of information. Any outcome of such research (staff or students' written work or projects) must contain references to all sources consulted, including detailed references, in such a way that these sources, and their influence on the submitted work, may be traced.
Plagiarism, i.e. presenting the work (or sections thereof) and/or opinions of others as one's own, is unacceptable. Giving others the task of completing essays, projects, experiments, etc., and then claiming the results (with or without modification) as one's own is equally unacceptable.
It is unacceptable to alter (i.e. falsify) the results of scientific experiments and investigations to one's own advantage.
Undertaking acadamic research is considered to be a fundamental part of an academic's professional development. However, staff are not sanctioned for a lack of research findings.
When publishing research findings, only those who made a genuine and significant contribution to the creation of a specific article are to be mentioned as (co-)authors. In the publications of post graduate students, it is conventional to name the supervisor last. It is not permissible to add additional names (e.g. other members of a group collaborating on a project, but who did not contribute to the actual publication). Where research students contribute to a publication, their work will receive appropriate recognition, either through inclusion as co-authors or through an acknowledgment, depending on the extent of their contribution.
Publication of research findings depends on the principle that published findings are new findings. With the exception of research overviews, authors cannot publish articles which merely repeat already published findings and do not make any further significant contribution.
Academics and students may not suppress research findings, except by special permission or pre-defined agreement. Work that students have produced as part of their course may only be used for other purposes when the Department is informed in advance.
There is no league table for assessing the value of academic work; nevertheless quality, however hard to determine objectively, is a basic criterion. Authors should attempt to prove the quality of their research by publishing it in demonstrably peer-reviewed journals and by presenting at conferences. The work of other authors is to be cited on professional grounds only, never as a goodwill gesture.