2022 HSC malpractice data

This data reports on the breaches and offences that were committed for HSC assessments in 2022. Learn how many offences were committed, and the breakdown of breaches across subjects and assessment types.

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About assessment breaches and offences

Every year NESA receives a small number of reports on HSC students breaching the rules of exams or school-based HSC assessments.

Previous years' statistics and malpractice information can be found on:

Number of offences by course

In 2022, a total of 215 schools registered 782 offences in school-based assessments, involving 679 students.

View the table for a breakdown of courses and the number of offences.

CourseNumber of offencesOffences per 1,000 students
English Standard1163.8
Board Endorsed Course462.2
Personal Development, Health and Physical Education462.9
Community and Family Studies455.0
Biology432.3
Business Studies432.4
English Studies414.8
Modern History403.9
English Advanced391.6
Mathematics Standard 2391.3
Legal Studies272.6
Chemistry222.2
Physics202.6
Visual Arts192.3
Industrial Technology183.2
Studies of Religion I182.1
Food Technology164.4
Studies of Religion II142.3
Ancient History132.1
Geography123.0
Society and Culture122.6
Mathematics Extension 1111.3
All other courses821.2

 

Assessment types and total number of offences

Use the graph to see the total number of HSC assessment breaches. Use the accordions to view details about the type of offence that was committed for the different assessment types.

Overview

In 2022 there were:

  • 487 take-home written assessment offences
  • 128 timed examination offences
  • 84 other offences
  • 64 project offences
  • 12 practical assessment offences
  • 5 oral assessment offences
  • 2 group work offences.
Take-home written assessments

There was a total of 487 take-home written assessment breaches in 2022.

View the table for a breakdown of the types of offences that were imposed.

Offence typeNumber of offencesPercentage of offences
Plagiarism36475%
Late submissions6714%
Collusion469%
Other71%
Unauthorised alteration1<1%
Making a false claim1<1%
Unacknowledged assistance1<1%
Timed examinations

There was a total of 128 timed examination breaches in 2022.

View the table for a breakdown of the types of offences that were imposed.

Offence typeNumber of offencesPercentage of offences
Unauthorised notes3930%
Electronic device use3628%
Plagiarism2016%
Other1512%
Unauthorised alteration54%
Unauthorised access54%
Late submissions43%
Collusion32%
Unacknowledged assistance1<1%
Other

There was a total of 84 other assessment breaches in 2022.

View the table for a breakdown of the types of offences that were imposed.

Offence typeNumber of offencesPercentage of offences
Plagiarism3946%
Late submissions2226%
Unauthorised notes78%
Other78%
Collusion56%
Electronic device usage45%
Projects

 There was a total of 64 project breaches in 2022.

View the table for a breakdown of the types of offences that were imposed.

Offence typeNumber of offencesPercentage of offences
Plagiarism4570%
Late submissions1320%
Collusion23%
Electronic device use12%
Making a false claim23%
Other12%
Practical assessments

 There was a total of 12 practical assessment breaches in 2022.

View the table for a breakdown of the types of offences that were imposed.

Offence typeNumber of offencesPercentage of offences
Plagiarism1083%
Late submissions217%
Oral examinations

There was a total of 5 oral examination breaches in 2022.

View the table for a breakdown of the types of offences that were imposed.

Offence typeNumber of offencesPercentage of offences
Plagiarism480%
Late submissions120%
Group work

There was a total of 2 group work breaches in 2022.

View the table for a breakdown of the types of offences that were imposed.

Offence typeNumber of offencesPercentage of offences
Plagiarism2100%

Offence types and total penalties imposed

Use the graph to see an overview of the total number of penalties imposed for each offence type. Use the accordions to view details about each offence type.

Overview

In 2022 there were these penalties:

  • 484 plagiarism
  • 109 late submission
  • 56 collusion
  • 46 unauthorised notes 
  • 41 electronic device usage
  • 30 other
  • 6 unauthorised alteration
  • 5 unauthorised access 
  • 3 false claim 
  • 2 unacknowledged assistance.
Plagiarism

There was a total of 484 plagiarism offences. This makes up 62% of all offences in 2022.

View the table for a breakdown of the penalties imposed for this offence.

PenaltyNumberPercentage of penalties for this offence
Zero marks22947%
Reduced marks22546%
Warning153%
Other153%
Late submissions

There was a total of 109 late submission offences. This makes up 14% of all offences in 2022.

View the table for a breakdown of the penalties imposed for this offence.

PenaltyNumberPercentage of penalties for this offence
Zero marks4037%
Reduced marks4642%
Warning2220%
Other1<1%
Collusion

There was a total of 56 collusion with other students offences. This makes up 7% of all offences in 2022.

View the table for a breakdown of the penalties imposed for this offence.

PenaltyNumberPercentage of penalties for this offence
Reduced marks2850%
Zero marks2545%
Warning24%
Other12%
Unauthorised notes

There was a total of 46 possessing or using unauthorised notes offences. This makes up 6% of all offences in 2022.

View the table for a breakdown of the penalties imposed for this offence.

PenaltyNumberPercentage of penalties for this offence
Zero marks3372%
Reduced marks1226%
Warning12%
Electronic device usage

There was a total of 41 electronic device usage offences. This makes up 5% of all offences in 2022.

View the table for a breakdown of the penalties imposed for this offence.

PenaltyNumberPercentage of penalties for this offence
Zero marks3176%
Reduced marks512%
Warning410%
Other12%
Other

There was a total of 30 other offences. This makes up 4% of all offences in 2022.

View the table for a breakdown of the penalties imposed for this offence.

PenaltyNumberPercentage of penalties for this offence
Warning1860%
Zero marks723%
Reduced marks517%
Unauthorised alteration

There was a total of 6 unauthorised alteration offences. This makes up less than 1% of all offences in 2022.

View the table for a breakdown of the penalties imposed for this offence.

PenaltyNumberPercentage of penalties for this offence
Zero marks467%
Reduced marks233%
Unauthorised access

There was a total of 5 unauthorised access offences. This makes up less than 1% of all offences in 2022.

View the table for a breakdown of the penalties imposed for this offence.

PenaltyNumberPercentage of penalties for this offence
Zero marks240%
Reduced marks240%
Other120%
Making a false claim

There was a total of 3 false claim offences. This makes up less than 1% of all offences in 2022.

View the table for a breakdown of the penalties imposed for this offence.

PenaltyNumberPercentage of penalties for this offence
Zero marks267%
Reduced marks133%
Unacknowledged assistance

There was a total of 2 unauthorised assistance offences. This makes up less than 1% of all offences in 2022.

View the table for a breakdown of the penalties imposed for this offence.

PenaltyNumberPercentage of penalties for this offence
Reduced marks150%
Warning150%

Examination breaches

In 2022 the following numbers were penalised by the Examination Rules Committee:

  • 100 cases of non-serious attempts
  • 57 cases (projects penalised) for the non-certification of projects
  • 64 students with 65 offences for the breach of examination rules and malpractice.
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