Plagiarism, as defined by the Random House Dictionary, is “to steal (the language, ideas or thoughts) from (another) representing them as one’s own original work.” Intentional or not, when a student fails to acknowledge the source of words and ideas that are not his or her own, the result is plagiarism, that is, theft. Plagiarism is not tolerated within the Tippecanoe School Corporation.
There are several kinds of plagiarism:
1. Copying word for word or incompletely paraphrasing a phrase, sentence, group of phrases, group of sentences, or whole paragraphs from another source without crediting that source.
2. Giving a speech or submitting a paper, poster, project, or any other assignment that has been written completely or partially by someone else.
3. Cutting and pasting material found on the internet or in other electronic databases into one’s own paper, speech, poster, project, or other assignment without citing the source.
4. Downloading entire texts and presenting them as one’s own work.
5. Presenting ideas from another source as one’s own original thoughts. These can be taken from textual sources or from speeches, lectures, television programs, or other forms of oral language.
6. Improperly citing sources with the intent of misleading the reader (e.g., making up citations) as to the source of the information presented.
A student who is unsure of how to cite (credit) the source of material he or she has copied has the responsibility to check with a teacher and/or consult an MLA handbook or website.
Plagiarism is theft. It is also cheating. Thus, the penalties for plagiarism are both disciplinary and academic.
The classroom teacher will impose an academic penalty for plagiarism. This is usually zero credit for the assignment.
A second offense may result in a grade of F for the nine-weeks; a third offense may result in an F for the course.
Regardless of the kind or degree of plagiarism or the severity of the academic penalty imposed by the teacher, offenses will be reported to the principal.
Multiple referrals may result in an out of school suspension (OSS).
HHS Policy on Cheating - If you are caught cheating, you will receive a zero on that assignment, quiz, or test. The Dean of Students will be notified and parents will be contacted. A second offense of cheating will result in the failure for the nine weeks. The Dean of Students will be notified and parents will be contacted. A third offense of cheating will be referred to the Dean of Students for possible removal from class for the remainder of the semester."
Revised 2017