Academic Honesty Policy

Academic Honesty at Summit Ridge Middle School is a cornerstone in achieving our mission in providing a set of values, skills, and experiences that promote personal integrity and good practices for learning, assessment and teaching. The Academic honesty policy developed is consistent with standards and practices of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme. This document serves as an overview of Summit Ridge Middle School’s expectations and practices in regards to academic honesty.

Academic challenges and tasks will be given at Summit Ridge Middle School. All academic tasks will be accomplished honestly to ensure that the work is the students’ own and proper credit is given to sources used. Principled students act with honesty, fairness, justice, and with good moral character to uphold the Academic Honesty Policy which is the foundation of lifelong learners. They respect the intellectual property of others by completing their own work and giving credit where it’s due. Students will take responsibility for their academic actions and the consequences of those actions, even if the offense is unintentional. If questions remain, students are encouraged to be inquirers; self- advocates who ask questions and seek answers regarding academic honesty concerns.

 

The International Baccalaureate defines academic misconduct as “behavior that results in, or may result in, the student or any other student gaining an unfair advantage in one or more assessment components.” This includes, but is not limited to the following:

Cheating and Collusion: Students making a deliberate choice to gain an unfair advantage. Collusion is when someone makes a deliberate choice to help another individual cheat. 

Duplication: Student turning in the same work for a different assessment task or different subject areas. 

Plagiarism: The act of using words, ideas or products which belong to another person or source, without giving credit to the source from which it was taken. Plagiarism can occur when a person tries to represent another person’s work as his/her own in order to obtain some benefit, credit or gain. Plagiarism can occur unintentionally if a person does not acknowledge the work of others that helped him/her complete assessment task.

The following are possible examples of Academic Misconduct:

  • Taking an online assessment for another student
  • Giving intellectual property (their own or others) to a student with intent to cheat
  • Using Artificial Intelligence apps such as ChatGPT to generate and present work as your own. 
  • Forging documents for another student
  • Helping copy documents for another student
  • Providing unauthorized notes to another student during an assessment
  • Discussing/providing information about a quiz or test with students who have not completed the assessment
  • Inappropriate use of programmable watches, smart phones, wearable technology and other computer, and electronic devices
  • Failing to follow teacher guidelines regarding collaboration on assignments or projects; completing all work independently unless expressly instructed otherwise
  • Copying another students’ work (with or without his/her knowledge)
  • Copying assessment tasks
  • Using unauthorized notes or other study aids during an assessment
  • Communicating or using any electronic device inappropriately
  • Communicating/cheating during an assessment
  • Submitting work that as his/her own that has been copied
  • Using intellectual property is defined as the ideas or work of another person without proper citation.

MYP classes at Summit Ridge Middle will use MLA citation format for all subject areas. Listed below are websites to assist with MLA citation and formatting.

1. Google Citation Tool 

2. Easy Bib

3. Citation Machine www.citationmachine.net

 

Roles of Stakeholders

It is a shared responsibility by all Stakeholders in upholding the Academic Honesty Policies with integrity.

 

Student Responsibilities

The student needs to produce and submit work that is their own. If they use others’ ideas the information must be properly cited. It is the student’s responsibility to ask for assistance if they are uncertain about how to acknowledge sources. Learners are responsible for understanding the academic policy, definitions of academic misconduct, and to ask clarifying questions at any time, if needed.

 

Teachers Responsibilities

Teachers are responsible for ensuring all students understand the policy and consequences. ALL subject areas have an obligation to instruct learners in the proper ways of producing authentic work and citing sources if they use others’ ideas. Each teacher is responsible for helping students gain the skills necessary to promote personal integrity and good practices for learning. Needed skills may include, but are not limited to:

  • How to conduct research
  • Use AI tools appropriately
  • Working collaboratively with peers
  • Acknowledging sources through proper citations and formats (MLA)
  • How to write a document fulfilling the expectations of authentic authorship
  • Establishing timelines so the work can be proof read, edited, and sources cited prior to final assessment deadlines 
  • Teachers may provide additional skill resources as needed

Families Responsibilities

Families are expected to support Summit Ridge Middle Schools Academic Honesty Policy. Parents/Guardians are encouraged to review and discuss the policy with their student found on the SRMS website.  When requested, parents/guardians are expected to attend meetings to discuss the academic honesty of their students.

 

Academic Honesty Consequences

The first offense of Academic Dishonesty can be used as a teachable moment for the student. The student will be required to conference with his/her teacher and the offense will be documented. Expectations regarding academic honesty will be reviewed with the student per the SRMS Discipline Matrix that includes, but is not limited to:

  • Understands what constitutes an authentic piece of work, intellectual property, and academic honesty.
  • Is given information on how to cite work, websites available for proper formatting, and access/after school times available for additional help with teachers.

During the first offense, the teacher may:

  • Contact parents to inform them that a warning was given for academic dishonesty and explain consequences for any further violations.
  • It is the teachers sole discretion to implement additional intervention actions as per the Minor Classroom Intervention Document.

If further academic dishonesty offences occur OR the first offense is deemed substantial, the following may also occur:

  • The student will meet with their teacher, IB Coordinator, and counselor to discuss the infraction and Academic Honesty policy.
  • Contact with parents to discuss infraction 
  • Appropriate interventions (consequences) will be provided by the teacher as per the SRMS Discipline Matrix. 

If the academic dishonesty offense is deemed extreme, the student will be referred to Administration and consequences will be given using the SRMS Discipline Matrix. 

 

 

 

Bibliography

International Baccalaureate Organization. Academic Honesty. Cardiff: International Baccalaureate Organization, 2011

International Baccalaureate Organization. MYP: From Principles into Practice. Cardiff: International Baccalaureate Organization, 2014/2015

International Baccalaureate Organization. Programme Standards and Practices. Cardiff: International Baccalaureate Organization, January 2014

NorCross IB Cluster, Academic Policy.

Franklin Academy, Academic Policy. 2015

Prairie Seeds Academy, Academic Policy. 2015

“ The Free Automatic Bibliography and Citation Generator.” Easybib. N.p, n.d. Web. Sept. 2013


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