Academic Integrity Policy

Plagiarism:

According to Webster’s New International Dictionary of the English Language, to plagiarize is:

“To steal or purloin and pass off as one’s own the ideas, word, artistic productions

of another; to use without due credit the ideas expressions or productions of

another.”

Gibaldi further indicates:

“Forms of plagiarism include the failure to give appropriate acknowledgement

when repeating another’s argument, and presenting another’s line of thinking.

You may certainly use other person’s works and thoughts, but the borrowed

material must not appear to be your creation. In your writing, then, you must

document everything you borrow; not only direct quotations and paraphrases

but also information and ideas.”

Joseph Gibaldi, MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing,

New York : The Modern Language Association of America , 1998.

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the following:

Presenting as one’s own, the works or the opinions of someone else without proper acknowledgement.
Borrowing of the sequence of ideas, the arrangement of materials, or the pattern of thought of someone else without proper acknowledgement.
Having a parent or another person write an essay or do a project which is then submitted as one’s own work.
Failing to use proper documentation and a bibliography.

Cheating:

According to the Funk and Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of the English

Language , to cheat is: “to deceive and act dishonestly.”

Cheating includes, but is not limited to, the following:

Obtaining test or quiz materials for an assessment without the instructor’s knowledge.
Inappropriate use of graphing calculators, programmable watches, palm pilots and other computer or electronic devices.
Sharing student work that should be individually/independently produces.
Using crib notes during test situations.
Substituting another source such as Cliff Notes or Monarch Notes study guides, in place of completing an assignment.
Discussing information about a quiz or test with students who have not completed the assessment.
Obtaining answers from another student during a test with or without the student’s knowledge
Obtaining or providing answers from any source during a quiz or test
Failing to follow teacher guidelines regarding collaboration on assignments or projects – completing all work independently unless expressly instructed otherwise.

Responsibilities

Teachers will:

Provide students with explicit requirements and directions.
Structure conditions during testing to alleviate the possibility of cheating.
Specify the types of collaboration that are allowable and those that are not allowed.
Teach and review correct use of documentation when assigning work.
Provide for checkpoints to facilitate the research process (to assist students in time management, and provide opportunities to help students during the process.
Review the Academic Integrity Policy often, particularly before major assignments and tests.

Administrators will :

Assure that all faculty, students and parents have knowledge of the Norcross High School Academic Integrity policy.
Create a school-wide environment that encourages adherence to the academic integrity policy.
Encourage teachers to enforce the Academic Integrity Policy.
Maintain Cumulative records of reported violations.
Facilitate academic Integrity Policy violation conferences when follow-up is appropriate.
Enforce appropriate disciplinary actions

Media-Technology Personnel will:

Collaborate with teachers to teach ethical use of intellectual property and computer applications.

Students Will:

Avoid situations that might contribute to cheating, plagiarizing, lying, and stealing.
Avoid giving or receiving unauthorized assistance on all school assignments.
Document borrowed materials by citing sources.
Avoid plagiarizing by:

Using quotation marks for statements taken from others.
Acknowledging information, ideas, or patterns of thought borrowed from any source.
Consulting faculty about any questionable situations.

5. Meet teachers’ checkpoint deadlines.

Parents Will:

Have knowledge of the Norcross High School Academic Integrity Policy and the consequences of not abiding by it.
Provide a positive example for adhering to the Academic Integrity Policy.
Support faculty and administration in enforcing the Academic Integrity Policy.

Range of Consequences

Grade reduction on assignment.
Grade of 0 on assignment with no opportunity to make up work (including extra credit).
Notification of AP on discipline referral
Notification of honor society sponsors, extracurricular and sport coaches/sponsors for possible expulsion/suspension from those activities.
In the case of multiple offenses, ISS or OSS as appropriate.

Procedures

Discipline

Teacher investigates the matter with student(s) involved.
Teacher communicates outcome of investigation to department chair. In consultation, they decide on a consequence.
The decision is communicated to the student.
The parent in contacted by the teacher.
An incident and consequence form is completed and submitted by the teacher.

Appeals

Procedure for student/parent who feels an appeal is warranted:

Student fills out the Appeal for Infraction of Academic Integrity Form and returns it to the AP in charge of the committee.
AP sets up a hearing with the Academic Integrity Committee, the teacher, and the appellant.
Student can choose to:

Present his/her case in writing (to preserve anonymity)
Present his/her case in person

4. Teacher may choose to appear or may depend on documentation already submitted.

5. Committee hears appeal and renders a decision.

6. Student and parent are notified of the committee findings.

7. Hearing records are placed in student’s permanent folder.

Composition Of Academic Integrity Committee:

AP who oversees Academic Integrity, Media Specialist, Department Chair of teacher involved, 2 students from Peer Leader Program), at-large faculty member.