Our students are principled and work with integrity and honesty. This means that they respect intellectual property and that they submit authentic work.

Intellectual property rights include patents, registered designs, trademarks, moral rights and copyright in all forms of expression (for example in writing, music, arts) in all media (CD-Rom, DVD, photographs, illustrations, artwork and data in addition to journals, books and websites.).

Students take full responsibility for the authenticity of all work they submit for internal assessment, external assesment, class and homework assignments.

Authentic work is based on the student’s original ideas and is written in his/her own expression and words. It acknowledges other’s ideas.

This policy defines malpractice, outlines its consequences and explains how to avoid it. It also sets out how students are educated about the correct attribution of work.

Academic dishonesty/malpractice

The following practices breach with our academic honesty policy (IBO 2009):

Plagiarism – representation, intentionally or unwittingly, of the ideas, words or work of another person without proper, clear and explicit acknowledgment.
This includes the representation of the ideas or work of another person as your own. Also copying a passage of text, translating this passage into another language, then using the translated text in their work without acknowledging its source constitutes plagiarism.

Collusion - supporting malpractice by another candidate, as in allowing your work to be copied or submitted for assessment by another candidate.
Duplication of work - the presentation of the same work for different assessment components and/or IB diploma requirements.
Misconduct during an examination, Examples of misconduct are:
- taking unauthorized material into an examination room (such as cell/mobile phone, other electronic devices, written notes).
- leaving and/or accessing unauthorized material in a bathroom/restroom that may be visited during an examination
- any attempt to disrupt the examination or distract another candidate
- exchanging information or in any way supporting the passing on of information to another candidate about the content of an examination
- failing to comply with the instructions of the invigilator or other member of the school’s staff responsible for the conduct of the examination
- impersonating another candidate
- stealing examination papers
- using an unauthorized calculator during an examination, or using a calculator when one is not permitted for the examination paper
- disclosing or discussing the content of an examination paper with a person outside the immediate school community within 24 hours after the examination.
- fabrication of data
- falsifying a CAS record.

Support

By the coordinator

The coordinator informs candidates about academic honesty, malpractice and consequences of academic dishonesty at the beginning of the school year and makes sure every student signs the academic honesty policy. He/She informs parents about the importance of academic honesty and consequences of malpractice. To support students in their time management and to avoid time pressure, a calendar with due dates for internal deadlines for the submission of assessment components is provided.

By teachers

Teachers understand and communicate what constitutes malpractice (particularly plagiarism, collusion and misconduct during an examination) and communicate clearly the consequences of being found guilty of malpractice.

They provide candidates with guidance on study skills, academic writing, how to conduct research and how to acknowledge sources. They provide the students with the school’s common conventions for citing and also mark the recognition of sources in internal assessment components. They introduce students to services such as Bibme or Easybib to collect, organize and cite sources. Furthermore students are encouraged to use our online library (QuestiaSchool) where support for citing is provided.

Teachers make sure that work submitted for internal and external assessment is authentic, for example by checking on the progress of the preparation of a presentation or paper early and regularly; and/or by using appropriate plagiarism software (for example Turnitin.com). They set clear expectations for assignments and provide guidance to candidates on how to correctly cite the sources they have consulted using our citing and referencing guide. They design assignments that do not lend themselves to academic misconduct. The deadline policy of our school is strict. Assessments submitted after a deadline are not accepted.

Teachers act as good role models for their students by not providing candidates undue assistance, not leaving candidates unsupervised during an examination and acknowledging sources they use in class (for handouts, presentations etc.).

By the librarian

He/She provides candidates with guidance on study skills, academic writing, how to conduct research and how to acknowledge sources. He/She provides the students with the school’s common conventions for citing and offers counseling.

By parents

Parents support their children in following our academic honesty policy. To avoid plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, they should support their children in the careful planning of their assignments, the scheduling of work and encouraging them to ask a teacher for advice if they have difficulties. It is academic misconduct to help children with their assignments.

Consequences of malpractice

If a candidate is found guilty of plagiarism, collusion, duplication of work or misconduct, he or she will not be awarded a grade in the subject concerned what is equal to failing the subject. Only in minor cases of academic infringement the grade for the assessment component will be 0 meaning that the student may pass the subject. This decision is on discussion of the IB DP coordinator.

An IB diploma may be withdrawn from a candidate at any time if malpractice is subsequently established.

The final decision of malpractice consequences lies with IB authorities.

All cases of plagiarism, collusion, duplication of work or misconduct concerning internal and external assessment are reported to IB for further discussion.

Both students and parents sign our Academic honesty policy prior to starting the IB DP.

Parents are informed about all cases of plagiarism, collusion, duplication of work or misconduct concerning internal and external assessment.

They will be informed about minor violations of rules by tutors or, in more severe cases by the IB DP coordinator.

This policy is consistent with IB expectations.

Bibliography

International Baccalaureate Organization (2009): Diploma programme Academic honesty.

International Baccalaureate Organization: Academic honesty in the Diploma Programme (Flyer).

International Baccalaureate Organization (2014): Academic honesty in the IB educational context.

Garza, Dr. Celina (2014): Academic honesty – principles into practice. Presentation at Africa, Middle East & Europe regional conference. Link: http://www.ibo.org/contentassets/71f2f66b529f48a8a61223070887373a/academic-honesty.-principles-into-practice---celina-garza.pdf

Heidelberger Privatschulcentrum IB DP Student’s Manual (including citing and reference rules, library rules, EE manual)