Academic Integrity Policy
Academic dishonesty encompasses actions that undermine the principles of honesty and fairness in the educational setting. This includes, but is not restricted to:
- Sharing or receiving answers from peers during assessments such as exams, quizzes, or individual/team projects.
- Disregarding the guidelines set by the invigilator in an exam setting.
- Turning in any form of written material, whether digital or printed, that was partially or fully created by another individual.
- Incorporating direct quotes or reworded content in submissions without proper attribution according to the St. Cuthbert Classical Academy Style Guide.
Plagiarism
A key type of academic dishonesty is plagiarism, which involves claiming others' ideas or words as your own. Examples include:
- Handing in a paper or project authored by another person, such as purchasing one online, obtaining it from a no-cost site, commissioning someone to do it, or duplicating a classmate’s work (including homework).
- Assembling content from multiple origins and merely connecting them with transitional phrases.
- Using quotes or rephrased text without referencing the origin, whether from publications, periodicals, illustrations, or digital resources.
- Omitting quotation marks around verbatim text, even when sources are referenced.
To promote academic integrity and prevent plagiarism, students should:
- Consult instructors for guidance on identifying plagiarism.
- Pursue additional training if their research abilities need improvement.
- Guarantee that all submissions are authentic and that references are cited precisely and uniformly.
Consequences for Violations of Academic Integrity
Confirmed cases of academic dishonesty will lead to a zero score on the affected assessment or task, with no chance for reassessment. Further measures, such as suspension, may be imposed by the Principal or Vice-Principal as deemed appropriate.
Initial Violation: A spoken caution will be issued. The student must resubmit the work to demonstrate their comprehension and mastery.
Guidance for teachers: Capitalize on learning opportunities and adhere to these procedures:
- Engage in dialogue with the student committing plagiarism for the first time, treating it as an educational moment to emphasize the severe repercussions and note that future submissions will undergo heightened review (aiming to prevent recurrence through genuine insight).
- Assist them in building self-assurance to articulate personal views instead of replicating others’ thoughts.
- Offer suggestions and approaches to elevate their work quality and readiness.
- Alert them that such misconduct could jeopardize their diploma and potential awards.
- Ultimately, rely on your expertise and empathy to reach a thoughtful conclusion, as you understand your students well.
Subsequent Violation: The student will redo the assessment or task under supervision, potentially facing a deduction in grade or a zero for the offending section. The teacher will report the incident details to the Principal for additional steps.
Third Violation: The teacher will seize the student's submission and assign a zero for the whole paper, task, or initiative.
The teacher will relay the specifics of the infraction to the Principal, who will remove the student from the class, resulting in credit forfeiture, and contact the parents.
To foster academic integrity and steer clear of plagiarism, students should:
- Request explanations from teachers regarding plagiarism definitions.
- Address gaps in research proficiency through support.
- Verify that their work is original and sources are referenced correctly and reliably.
ST. CUTHBERT CLASSICAL ACADEMY INITIATIVE TO INFORM STUDENTS ABOUT PLAGIARISM
A collection of instructional videos is available on Microsoft Teams, and all instructors must present them in each course at the start of every term, followed by a discussion of outcomes to confirm student awareness of plagiarism and academic misconduct.
Video Topics:
- Video 1: Explaining Plagiarism.
- Video 2: Outcomes of Plagiarism.
- Video 3: Personalized Guidance for Offenders.
- Video 4: Collaborative Talks and Quiz on Academic Integrity.
Appeal Process
Students can submit a written appeal to the Principal or Vice-Principal. The administrator will review the relevant materials. In cases of mitigating factors, an alternative task may be proposed.
