Academic Honesty Policy

William Rainey Harper: Academic Honesty Policy

As an educational institution committed to academic integrity and the principles of the International Baccalaureate (IB) learner profile, we uphold the values of honesty, integrity, and authenticity in all academic endeavors. Plagiarism, collusion, duplication of work, and any other behavior that gives an unfair advantage to a student or affects the results of another student are considered serious violations of academic integrity. Definitions (MYP: From Principles into Practice): - Plagiarism: The representation, whether intentional or unintentional, of the ideas, words, or work of another person without proper, clear, and explicit acknowledgment. - Collusion: Supporting academic misconduct by another student, such as allowing one's work to be copied or submitted for assessment by another. - Duplication of Work: The presentation of the same work for different assessment components. - Other Behavior: Any other behavior that gives an unfair advantage to a student or that affects the results of another student, including falsifying data, misconduct during an examination, and creating spurious reflections. IB Learner Profile: We expect all students to strive to be principled in their academic work, adhering to high ethical standards and demonstrating honesty and fairness in all aspects of their learning. The Role of Parents Here at Harper, we value our scholars’ families as partners in education. Parents and guardians are expected to assist their children at home with assignments and projects. Families should ask questions, work alongside, and guide scholars to find their own answers. As students develop the different facets of the Learner Profile, and grow in character, we ask that families allow scholars to do their best work, ask for help at school, and take advantage of the many resources available in the school and around the classroom. Guidelines: Students are advised that academic misconduct includes plagiarism, collusion, duplication of work, falsifying data, and misconduct during examinations. - Students are expected to understand the principles of intellectual property and authentic authorship, ensuring that all work submitted is their own and properly cited when using the work of others. - Conventions for citing and acknowledging original authorship may include either APA, MLA or any other directions given by an educator at William Rainey Harper. It is expected that scholars will report to their teacher any sources used to complete work. - Collaboration is encouraged, but it is essential to understand the distinction between legitimate collaboration and unacceptable collusion. Legitimate collaboration involves working together with others to enhance learning outcomes, while collusion involves dishonest or unauthorized cooperation that undermines academic integrity. - Scholars are expected to notify teachers or staff if academic dishonesty of any kind is suspected. Academic Honesty in the MYP: Conventions, Citation, and Original Ownership In the MYP, academic honesty means producing authentic work and demonstrating respect for the ideas and creations of others. Students are expected to follow academic conventions, cite sources appropriately, and acknowledge original ownership in all subject areas. This supports the development of ATL skills, especially research, communication, and self‑management, and reflects the IB Learner Profile attribute of being principled. Academic conventions are standard ways of presenting learning clearly and honestly in the MYP. Students are expected to:  Write in complete sentences unless another format is appropriate  Organize work using paragraphs, headings, and labels  Follow teacher instructions for formatting and submission  Use quotation marks when copying exact words from a source  Paraphrase information accurately using their own words  Include a works cited, bibliography, or reference list  Clearly label diagrams, graphs, tables, and images MYP Example: A Year 1 MYP student submits a science report that includes labeled diagrams, facts rewritten in the student’s own words, in‑text citations, and a Works Cited page. In the MYP, students must cite sources to show where ideas, facts, or media originated. This applies across all subject areas, not only Language and Literature. Sources that must be cited include:  Books and textbooks  Websites and online articles  Videos, podcasts, documentaries  Images, charts, graphs, and data  Digital tools or AI‑generated content, when permitted by the teacher MYP Citation Examples:  Direct quote: “Energy can change forms but cannot be destroyed” (Brown, 2023).  Paraphrase: Energy can change from one type to another but is always conserved (Brown, 2023).  Image caption: Source: National Geographic, 2022  Works Cited (MLA – MYP appropriate): Brown, Lisa. Introduction to Energy. Science Press, 2023. Teachers may require MLA, APA, or another format, depending on the subject and task. Acknowledging original ownership means recognizing the creator of ideas, models, designs, or contributions— even when information is not copied word‑for‑word. Students must acknowledge ownership when they:  Use another person’s idea or explanation  Adapt examples from class lessons or exemplars  Work collaboratively with peers  Use digital tools or AI for brainstorming or drafting (when permitted) MYP Examples of acknowledgment:  Idea acknowledgment: This explanation is based on information from our Individuals and Societies textbook.  Group work acknowledgment: Data collected with my lab group during the investigation.  AI acknowledgment (when allowed): An AI tool was used to brainstorm ideas; all writing was completed by the student. Failure to acknowledge original ownership may be considered plagiarism, even if unintentional. Collaboration vs. Collusion in the MYP Acceptable Collaboration:  Discussing ideas and concepts  Giving and receiving peer feedback  Working together when a task is identified as collaborative Unacceptable Collusion:  Copying another student’s work  Sharing answers for independent assessments  Submitting group work as individual work  Allowing someone else to submit your work Students must always follow teacher guidelines for collaboration. MYP students are expected to:  Ask questions if unsure how to cite or acknowledge a source  Use citations consistently and honestly  Follow academic honesty expectations in all subjects  Report concerns about academic misconduct to a teacher or staff member Practicing academic honesty helps students become independent, reflective, and principled learners. CMSD Handbook Guidelines: In addition, the CMSD Handbook defines academic misconduct in the following ways:  Taking and using the writings and ideas of another and deceptively submitting them as one’s own work in satisfying a school assignment  Signing the name of another person for purpose of defrauding school personnel  Cheating on examinations According to the handbook, plagiarism and other academic misconduct is considered a Tier 1 offense. As such, according to the Handbook, consequences can be the following:  Detentions and/or referrals to the planning center.  Teacher conference (with student alone or with parent, guardian or legal custodian);  Principal conference (with student alone or with parent, guardian or legal custodian);  Parent/guardian contact by telephone Every student in both the MYP and PYP programs must familiarize themselves with this policy and adhere to its principles. By striving to be principled, students uphold the values of honesty, integrity, and fairness, contributing to a positive learning environment for themselves and their peers. All students and guardians in the MYP program will be asked to sign that they have received a copy of the Academic Honesty Policy each school year. References: (2023) MYP: From Principles into Practice. International Baccalaureate Organization. (2023) International Baccalaureate. (2014). Academic honesty in the IB educational context. Retrieved from http://www.ibo.org/globalassets/digitaltookit/brochures/academic-honesty-ib-en.pdf (2016). Campus International Academic Honesty Policy [Review of Campus International Academic Honesty Policy]. Campus International -MYP Policies. https://www.clevelandmetroschools.org/Page/11459 OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (3.5 version)

Outlined in Committee Nov. 2023 Written Feb 2024 Updated 3/30/2026