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IB Academic Honesty Policy

 Winston Churchill Middle School

International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program

Academic Honesty Policy and Procedures

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Introduction

Winston Churchill Middle School’s academic honesty policy is based on the IB Learner Profile. We believe that IB students must strive to be principled: “act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice…[and] take responsibility for [their] actions and their consequences.”

The purpose of an academic honesty policy is to promote the development of the skills and knowledge needed to be academically honest.  It also serves to support students, staff, and parents in creating a learning community where academic honesty is taught, expected and practiced.

Academic Honesty

Academic honesty means more than simply following rules; it means acting with integrity. Integrity means respecting the work of other people. This happens mostly through the proper citing of sources in written work and class discussion. Students need to understand and implement skills and knowledge that will allow them, as a matter of practice, to present only work that is authentically their own. 

 

Definitions

Paraphrasing 

Put text in your own words

Plagiarism 

The representation of the ideas or work of another person as your own

  • Copying what someone else has written without using quotation marks and appropriate citation is plagiarism
  • Using someone else’s ideas and putting them in your own words (paraphrasing) without using appropriate citation is plagiarism
  • Just as with printed materials, all internet sources must be cited as well
  • Using artificial intelligence (“AI”) software in any manner not explicitly permitted or authorized by a classroom teacher, including but not limited to, completing an academic assignment with the assistance of AI software when not permitted, or misrepresenting a portion of the academic assignment as your own without proper attribution or acknowledgment of the use of AI software is plagiarism.

Collaboration

Working together on a common task

  • Copying another student’s work is not collaboration.

Collusion

Allowing someone to copy your work or copying someone else’s work and presenting it as your own. This includes giving or receiving assistance during a test or quiz and having or providing knowledge of questions or answers prior to a test or quiz. 

Duplication of 

work

Submitting the same work to multiple classes

Intellectual 

Property

Material that results from the original, creative thought of a person, which 

includes forms of expression such as music, videos, photos

Malpractice 

Any behavior that gains an unfair advantage for a student or that affects 

the results of another student. This includes forgery of any kind.

 

Good Practice and Misconduct

Good Practice

Misconduct

Respecting the work of others by citing sources

Plagiarism

Collaboration

Violating intellectual property rights

Submitting your own work 

Collusion

Taking responsibility when mistakes happen

Not taking ownership; blaming others

 

School’s Response to Academic Dishonesty

Depending on the severity of the action, the teacher may choose to handle the consequence individually.

If the infraction is severe:

  1. The incident will be reported to the administration.
  2. The incident may be recorded in the student’s academic record.
  3. Parents/guardians may be contacted to arrange a meeting.
  4. Guidelines will be set for the student to complete the assignment (loss of academic credit or points may occur).

 

Roles and Responsibilities:

Administration and/or MYP Coordinator

  • Work with the IB Educational Team to create and update annually the academic honesty policy
  • Maintain fairness and consistency
  • Provide guidance to department chairs in regards to professional development
  • Promote parent awareness

Teachers

  • Teach and ensure students understand the consequences of academic dishonesty 
  • Explicitly teach the required skills for academic honesty, such as paraphrasing, collaboration, collusion, and citations
  • Provide opportunities for students to practice and learn how to use other people’s work in support of their own
  • Focus on prevention and provide an opportunity to learn when mistakes are made

Students

  • Take responsibility for submitting their own work
  • Follow individual teachers’ requirements for properly citing sources
  • Will not copy someone else’s work
  • Are given opportunities to learn and practice academic integrity

  Families

  • Support this academic honesty policy and promote good practice in students
  • Encourage and support students to be principled learners.

 

Sources

Academic Honesty in the IB Educational Context, 2016

MYP: From Principles into Practice, 2014

Coordinator Support Material: Academic Honesty Policy Example 1, Academic Honesty Policy 

Example 2



Winston Churchill Middle School

International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program

Academic Honesty Agreement

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I understand that any work I submit for academic purposes must be my own original work. 

I will properly cite sources when the ideas are not my own, and if I am unsure how to do this, I will ask for help.

I will not copy other students’ work; I will not allow other students to copy my work.

I will not use AI software to complete my work unless explicitly permitted or authorized by my classroom teacher.

I will not give or receive assistance during a test or quiz.

I will not seek to acquire or provide knowledge of test/quiz questions or answers prior to a test or quiz.

 

I have read and understand that I must follow the school’s academic honesty policy.

Student name: ______________________________________________________________________

Student signature:_____________________________________________Date: __________________

Parent/Guardian acknowledgement:

I have read the school’s academic honesty policy. I have reviewed it with my child.

Parent/Guardian name: _______________________________________________________________

Parent/Guardian signature: _______________________________________ Date: ________________