ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY

ANKARA TÜRK TELEKOM SOCIAL SCIENCES HIGH SCHOOL

ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our institution has adopted the principles of academic honesty since we believe that individuals should respect themselves and others for their ideas and labour. In our institution, as well as freedom of expression, a free environment is encouraged for the interaction of scientific research and sharing information.

The aim of this document is to promote the core values of academic integrity to ensure that the school regulations for this practice are clearly understood and fairly applied among all members of the school community. This document provides a thorough explanation of academic integrity and responsibilities of all involved parties (IBDP coordinators, teachers, students and legal guardians) to promote good academic practice and preventing misconduct. Additionally, this policy is aimed to provide a framework of actions taken against Academic Misconduct.

After carefully reading this document, students and their legal guardians are required to sign and date the 'Academic Honesty Agreement' to confirm that they understand this policy and regulations that are in place if an academic misconduct to occur.

What is Academic Integrity?

Academic integrity is defined by Alison Kirk  (1)  as ''the moral code or ethical policy of academia. This includes values such as avoidance of cheating or plagiarism; maintenance of academic standards; honesty and rigor in research and academic publishing.''

Students are expected to be honest when they submit their work for assessment and give credit to other peoples' ideas. To assure the academic integrity, students should

·       create and express their own ideas and complete the assignments independently

·       acknowledge any ideas and assistance of other people,

·       reference the source of those ideas and assistance,

·       report the results accurately when conducting their own research,

·       be honest during the examinations.

This requires developing some key skills, such as; note-taking, summarising, paraphrasing, referencing and citing sources. Learning how to work independently, express original ideas and report the results accurately and honestly are the skills that will carry students beyond their academic career.

What is Academic Misconduct?

Academic misconduct is defined as any use of unauthorized assistance which affects the evaluation of a student's academic performance.  (2)   

Academic misconduct includes but not limited to the followings:

·      PLAGIARISM
''Plagiarism is presenting someone else's work or ideas as your own, with or without their consent, by incorporating it into your work without full acknowledgement. '' (3)

All assignments should be created and expressed in the student's own words. Including other people's ideas is helpful when the source of those ideas is referenced and indicated that the words themselves are quoted from someone else.

It is also plagiarism to present someone else's original arguments, lines of reasoning, or factual discoveries as your own, even if you put the material in your own words. To avoid this form of plagiarism, cite the source.

·    CHEATING:  All examinations and other assignments should be completed by the student alone, without any inappropriate assistance.

Students are not allowed to use secret sources while answering the questions in the exams. This includes;

·      looking at another student's paper, copying the answers of another student and/or talking to other students

·      sharing information and resources in any way

·      send or receive answers by using any technological device

·      trying to cheat even if the attempt is discovered before it is completed

 

• IMPROPER COLLABORATION
  Collaboration means working together.  Students may be allowed to work together on a homework assignment, project, or paper. But they are expected to submit it expressed in their own words to show their own understanding.  Identical or very similar handouts are the evidence of probable academic misconduct.
• SELF-PLAGIARISM or RECYCLING WORK

Self-plagiarism is submitting the same work which was done before or for any other purpose for a second class.

 

• FABRICATION, FORGERY, ALTERATION OF DOCUMENTS

Submitting fake documents (letters of reference, health certificate, certificate of competency / scores, transcripts, etc.),

Editing and using a document to provide resources in different classes.

 

• ASSISTING OTHERS IN ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
  Providing someone with any form of help, knowing that the other student will use it to cheat.

Instead of entering someone else's exam or exams to put someone else in his place.

 

Roles and Responsibilities of the Involved Parties:

IBDP Coordinator and the school administration are responsible;

·      To set up a school culture that promotes good academic practice and academic honesty.

·      to ensure that all the staff and students are informed about ASBL's Academic Honesty Policy and regulations

·      to make sure that students and their legal guardians have read the 'Academic Honesty Policy at ASBL and clearly understood the importance of academic honesty

·      to ensure that; before their enrolment, both the students and their legal guardians have signed a copy of 'Academic Honesty Agreement' to confirm they have understood their responsibility and role in performing good academic practice.

·      to follow IBO regulations in case of an academic misconduct of IBDP students

·      to know and apply the IB regulations and instructions outlined as in IB's web page for the IBDP students.

Students;

·      read and examine thoroughly the Academic Honesty Policy of Ankara Türk Telekom Sosyal Bilimler Lisesi and sign the Academic Honesty Agreement to confirm their understanding of good academic practice.

·       apply the editorial standards if they are using the work or adapting the information in any source (Internet, written sources, artwork, etc.)

·       aware that they commit a crime if they show any quotation as their thoughts.

·       are aware of the importance of being respectful to the ideas of others as well as to give value to their own ideas.

·       know that cheating is stealing someone else's work, so they don't cheat or don't let anyone cheat.

·       do not allow anyone else to use any work which was a result of their own labour (research, report, essay, homework, projects, etc.) for the same or any other purpose.

·       take the responsibility of each task they receive on themselves, do not accept someone else to be responsible for it.

·      have the impartial and objective perspective when analysing the results of a study.

Teachers and the other staff;

·       adopt the principles of academic policy expected from a student.

·       teach students the principles of academic honesty and follow them to adopt those principles.

·       stay in an equal distance to the students and parents and do not discriminate. They do not have any bias in the study and evaluation, and do not judge anyone for their thoughts.

·       give assignments to the students to allow them to think creatively and guide them.

·       always use the original source and soft wares and do not allow the use of piracy on school work.

·       know that they should have the concrete evidence in case of violation of academic honesty and do not hesitate to apply the required procedure.

Legal Guardians and Parents;

·      read and examine thoroughly the Academic Honesty Policy of Ankara Türk Telekom Sosyal Bilimler Lisesi and sign the Academic Honesty Agreement to confirm their understanding.

·      adopt the Academic Honesty Policy Principles and support them.

·      when evaluating their children's achievements take the development efforts in the learning process as a measure rather than high note expectations.

·       prepare the necessary environment for the fulfilment of the tasks assigned to the children, do not do the tasks instead of the students.

·       warn the children when they witness them cheating.

·      play a stimulating and cooperative role on children to improve the understanding of the academic honesty.

Procedures in the Event of Suspected Malpractice

When a student is suspected in the violation of the Academic Integrity at any stage of the academic process the School Discipline Council will investigate the case. According to the suggestion of the investigator regarding student work, an appropriate penalty will be imposed.

 

Possible consequences are described below.

 

Consequences for the first violation may include, but are not limited to the following actions:

• A reduced grade on the work for which the violation was committed. This work may be a quiz, test, paper, project, homework assignment, or other course work. At the investigator's discretion, the grade for the work may be reduced to zero.
• Delivering a written warning statement to the parents or legal guardians of the student. 

 

 

Consequences for subsequent violations may include any of the actions above, in addition to the following:

• A reduced grade on the course for which the violation was committed. This work may be a quiz, test, paper, project, homework assignment, or other course work. At the investigator's discretion, the grade for the work may be reduced to zero.
• Suspension: Temporary or permanent exclusion from extracurricular activities, including removal from student organizations, sports teams, or other school-related activities.
• Restitution: ASBL may demand compensation for the damage to the property from the responsible student.
• Disciplinary Probation: For a severe offense or for repetitive offenses, a student might be excluded from participation of academic education for a pre-determined period.

One or more of the sanctions above can be applied. Student's actions may have far-reaching effects on final grades and class standing, potential recommendations for scholarship awards, and acceptance to a college or a job of their choice.

 

 

REFERENCES

Academic Honesty in the IB educational context (Published August 2014)

IBO's Academic Honesty Policy (published 2007)

IB Coordinators workshop study materials (February 2015)

Michigan State University Institutional Framework for Promoting Academic Integrity Among Students (Published 2015)

University of Oklahama Institutional Framework for Promoting Academic Integrity Among Students (Published 2014)

 

 

 

                (1) Alison Kirk (1996-11-30), Learning and the marketplace, ISBN 9780809320929

(2)    http://www.ucdenver.edu/academics/colleges/CLAS/faculty-staff/policies

(3)    https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/academic/guidance/skills/plagiarism

 

 

 

 

 

Ankara Türk Telekom Social Sciences High School

Academic Honesty Agreement

 

Ankara Türk Telekom Social Sciences High School community values personal and academic integrity in all of our classrooms, programs, and activities. Ankara Türk Telekom Social Sciences High School states that we will "seek nothing before honour." The IB Learner Profile also refers to Principled Students as those who "act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them." To underscore these codes of honour, we agree on the following principles of Academic Honesty. Understanding and gaining the practical skills to apply these concepts to the academic environment is our goal.

 

Intellectual property: Thoughts, words, expressions of creativity that are protected under copyright, patent, trademark or other laws.

 

Authenticity: An individual's original work, with full and appropriate acknowledgment of other's language, expression, and ideas.

 

Collaboration: Cooperating on a common academic project by sharing information, while maintaining one's own independent analysis.

 

Malpractice: Actions that give a student unfair academic advantage or affects the results of another student. These may include, but are not limited to:

·      Plagiarism: Representing the ideas or works of another without proper acknowledgment or as one's own, whether intentional or not.

·      Cheating: Intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise.

·      Collusion: An illicit agreement between students to copy one's original work for assessment by another.

·       Fabrication: Deliberate falsification of any information.

·       Facilitation: Assisting another student to violate the standards of academic honesty.

·       Duplication: Submission of the same required academic work for more than one course.

 

Despite our best efforts to teach the principles of academic honesty, the temptation for malpractice may be too great for some students to resist. Ankara Türk Telekom Social Sciences High School teachers and administrators will exercise their good judgment and consistency to apply a wide range of academic consequences for violation of this academic honesty policy in accordance with the severity of the infraction. In addition, the impact of a student's actions may have far-reaching effects on final grades and class standing, potential recommendations for scholarship awards, and acceptance to a college or job of their choice.

 

I have read and understood Ankara Türk Telekom Social Sciences High School's IB Academic Honesty Policy.

 

______________________________                                  _________________

            Student Signature                                                                        Date

 ______________________________                                 _________________

            Parent/Guardian Signature                                                            Date