Last updated: November 2017
Last reviewed: March 2024
In the Primary and Elementary Schools:
Honesty and Integrity are important core values of our school. The IB learner profile and the PYP attitudes provide a guide to academic honesty for PYP students.
Approaches to learning (self-management, social, communication, thinking, and research skills) are developed across the curriculum to equip students with the tools they need to become competent, independent learners. These skills form the foundation of academic honesty and are developed through learning experiences that are collaborative as well as evaluative. Academic honesty guidelines apply to the following contexts: classroom and homework assignments, group work, and assessments.
From Grade 1, academic honesty guidelines are developed with students, communicated with the school community, and modelled at a level appropriate for the age of the student (see examples below). The shared understanding of academic honesty helps to address pressures that could arise from academic competition.
Clear assessment criteria, examples, and guidance for assignments are provided throughout the learning process to provide students with an understanding of learning expectations. As students learn to research, as part of the inquiry process, teachers, librarians and ICT coordinators emphasize ethical use of information from primary and secondary sources.
As students progress through the elementary grades, they begin to understand that they are personally responsible for academic honesty and recognize behaviours that constitute academic misconduct (i.e. plagiarism, copying another’s work, or failing to collaborate on group work, etc.).
Examples of age-appropriate guidelines include:
Grade 1 students:
Recognise ‘ownership’ of work and originator of ideas and work
Locate title, author, and illustrator information on the title page of text
Grade 2-3 students:
Recognise ‘ownership’ of work and originator of ideas and work
Take notes by writing down words and phrases and drawing pictures from sources, but not copying whole sentences
Know where to locate copyright information in print resources
Cite books by sharing the author and title
Know where to find the URL to share for website citation
Understand the purpose of citation to give credit for work done
Identify differences between primary and secondary sources
Cite print and online sources using author, title and name of source
Know where to locate basic citation information in books and online sources
In Grades 4-5 guideline examples include:
Take notes by selecting appropriate and significant information from the text, rephrasing sentences and recording in a graphic organizer
Locate copyright and publication dates in print resources
Cite source information including the publisher, and dates for print and online sources
Understand need for dates when citing
Know where to locate necessary citation information in books and online sources
Age-appropriate expectations and practices regarding references, citations, quotations and paraphrasing can be accessed in the FIS Information Literacy Curriculum Scope and Sequence, as well as the FIS Personal and Social Education Scope and Sequence. Consequences for inappropriate choices or infringement of Academic Honesty Guidelines align with the FIS Expectations and Responses and the Student Conduct and Discipline Policy 8.402.
In the Upper School:
Academic honesty is taught in the regular program, through information literacy and within each subject area. Failure to live up to the academic honesty expectations has more severe consequences as students progress through the school and if they repeat the behaviour. Consequences for such infringements are explained below:
Grades 6-8:
In the first infringement of the academic honesty expectations:
Parents are informed via phone call or email
The work is redone in controlled conditions and receives a grade (if possible and appropriate)
In the second infringement of the academic honesty expectations:
Consequences may include detention
Parents are informed in writing
A letter is placed on the student’s file
Work is redone in controlled conditions, but a grade is not given.
In the third infringement of the academic honesty expectations:
Parents are informed in writing
A second letter is placed on the student's file
There is a meeting with the principal, parents and student
Work is redone outside of the regular school day. Feedback is given, but there is no grade and the semester grade is negatively impacted with the relative weight of the assignment.
All infringements are to be recorded on Veracross.
After the first infringement, students may be asked to submit work through turnitin.com
Students with one academic honesty infringement will begin Grade 9 with the infraction removed from their record. Students with two or three infringements will begin Grade 9 on academic probation.
Grades 9-12:
(At any point, work involving the IBDP/IBCP that is compromised is reported to the DP/CP coordinator and dealt with according to guidelines specified by the IBO. The school may carry out additional measures to protect the academic integrity of the school and the student.)
Note: In the case of an exceptionally serious infringement, the consequences outlined below may be accelerated by the Head of School.
In the first infringement of the academic honesty expectations, this is viewed as a teaching opportunity.
Parents are formally informed in writing
Work is redone and given feedback, but no grade
Consultation with year head or counselor to determine the cause of the infringement, and appropriate support is offered
In the second infringement of the academic honesty expectations:
Parents are formally informed in writing
Student is warned that a third infringement may result in expulsion
The work is redone in controlled conditions and not graded
Appropriate support or counseling is offered
In the third infringement of the academic honesty expectations:
If it is determined that the accusation is valid, the principal and Head of School will determine an appropriate course of action that may include expulsion from the school.