Expectations

Academic integrity is a core value and universal expectation at Florida Virtual School. Academic integrity means that all work you submit is created by you and is an original representation of your work.

According to The School for Ethical Education academic integrity can be defined by honest academic work where:

1. The ideas and the writing of others are properly cited;

2. Students submit their own work for tests and assignments without unauthorized assistance;

3. Students do not provide unauthorized assistance to others; and

4. Students report their research or accomplishments

Click to read the FLVS Academic Integrity Matrix

If at anytime you would like additional information on the FLVS Academic Integrity policy please feel free to reach out to your instructor. For any concerns or to report an incident use the following contact information:

Academic Integrity Hotline:

407-513-3341 or 866-943-3050 (toll free)

Academic Integrity Email Address:

academicintegrity@flvs.net

Academic Integrity: Roles and Responsibilities

Student

The student’s role at Florida Virtual School is to learn to the best of his or her ability. Therefore, students should expect to take age-appropriate individual responsibility for their own learning, such as: applying themselves to their studies in a focused and serious manner, working hard, becoming engaged in the lessons and activities, asking questions, exploring their personal interests, improving areas of academic weaknesses, and capitalizing on strengths—and at all times completing their own work and upholding the principles of the FLVS Academic Integrity Policy. Students are responsible for submitting and protecting their own, original work. FLVS students will maintain academic integrity in their FLVS classroom by:

• Participating in discussion-based assessments and following the required FLVS protocol which states discussion-based assessments are completed between student and instructor only, free of outside influence, assistance or disruptions.

• Asking questions regarding academic integrity if they are unsure.

• Taking a proctored segment exam when asked to do so

• Safe-guarding their own work. Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

  • Students will not share work with any other student.

  • Students will not share their username and/or password.

  • Students will utilize a USB drive or personal Google Drive account to save work if using a shared or public computer.

Parents/Guardians

Parents/Guardians are our partners in supporting student learning and play a key role in their student’s success in any learning environment, but even more so at FLVS. Parents/guardians are responsible for monitoring student work to ensure compliance with the FLVS Academic Integrity Policy. Parents/Guardians of FLVS students will help maintain academic integrity in the FLVS classroom by:

• Ensuring that their student’s work is authentic and original.

• Ensuring that FLVS protocol regarding discussion-based assessments is adhered to.

• Understanding the student’s proctored segment exam requirements. Failure of a student to take and pass a segment exam with a proctor will result in removal of course with a failing grade.

To be successful in a history course, students need to read AND take notes as they progress through the lessons. While there are numerous styles and tips for good note-taking, there are some basic rules one should follow. They include:

1. Focus on the main points, topics or concepts

2. Read short sections at a time

3. Summarize - do not copy every word, keep your notes brief

4. Paraphrase - think critically about what you have read and write your notes in your own words

5. Try different strategies and use what works best for you!

Strategies to Try:

• Taking notes from memory

• Mark directly on text

• Cornell Notes

• Guided Notes (available here in U.S. History Master Link List or through Course Help Site)

• Graphic organizers/concept maps

• App-based notes (EverNote, One Note)

Some of the assignments in this course will require you to search for information outside the lesson texts. Here are a few simple tips for conducting research and citing your sources:

RESEARCH

1. Look for reputable resources that are scholarly in nature (articles, ebooks, books, journals, or newspapers)

2. Avoid popular websites or answer sites (Wikipedia)

3. Compare information from multiple sources to ensure accuracy (look for Authority, Purpose, Currency, and Relevance)

4. Rely on such as websites that end in .gov, .edu

CITATIONS

1. When possible paraphrase or summarize information from the source

2. If necessary, directly quote the source

3. In either case, give credit to the original author or source of information (MLA or APA format)

4. Your citations should include such basic information as (AUTHOR, TITLE, DATE OF PUBLICATION, TYPE OF PUBLICATION)

5. In most cases you will need to provide an in-text citation (a brief reference to the complete citation) and/or a list of your sources (at the end of your work, usually a list of sources you cited )

Writing mechanics can be separated into two categories - "the big picture" and structure. Here are the areas of focus in each...

THE BIG PICTURE

• What is the question you are trying to answer or your thesis statement?

• Who is your audience?

• What is your purpose and does it match the assignment?

• How is your work organized? How many paragraphs? How many sentences in each paragraph?

• Are you supporting your responses in each paragraph with evidence? Are you paraphrasing or directly quoting that evidence?

STRUCTURE

• Sentence structure, punctuation, word choice, and spelling

• Edit your responses and correct any of these errors before submitting the assignment.

• Read the paper out loud and listen for anything that sounds incorrect.

• Use grammar and spell check if available

• Check any punctuation rules if you are unsure what to use