Plagiarism tutorial: Academic integrity

Academic Integrity and Expectations
from the Student & Parent Handbook

Academic integrity is essential to every academic institution. All students are expected to honor this value by acting honestly in every aspect of their academic lives. Violating academic integrity is contrary to Menlo School’s values and will be grounds for disciplinary action.

A major goal of a Menlo education is to promote the intellectual growth of each student. To this end, Menlo students are expected to perform and produce their own work. Substitution of another’s work for one’s own violates the School’s expectation of academic integrity and impedes the intellectual growth of the student.

Students can improve their understanding of a topic by discussing assignments with parents, tutors or other students. However, we expect students to submit their own work. Submitting another’s work or ideas as one’s own without proper attribution constitutes plagiarism and is no less an academic offense than cheating on a test.

The following are examples of academic dishonesty:

• Presenting as one’s own an idea or statement taken in full or in part, or even paraphrased, from some other source, whether another person, a published work (including computer programs), or another student’s work.
• Using unauthorized notes or other aids in a test; or copying from or being influenced by another student’s work (orally or visually) during a test, quiz, etc.; or seeking unauthorized information about a test or quiz to be taken.
• Giving unauthorized aid to another student; allowing another student to copy or use one’s test, paper, or homework; telling another student what was on a test that can reasonably be expected will be given to that student at a later time.
• Submitting papers or other work already produced for another course without the approval of both teachers.
• Obtaining help (from a parent, tutor, another teacher or another student) on homework or take-home tests that exceeds the limits specified by the teacher assigning the work (in effect, plagiarism).
• Stealing, deceptively using or deliberately destroying or altering library or other educational materials not one’s own, including computer programs and laboratory procedures or notebooks. (This might be vandalism, but it is also academic dishonesty.)

The preceding situations are only illustrations. Inappropriate academic behavior may take other forms as well.

If a student is suspected of academic dishonesty, the teacher will report the incident to the Dean of Students. The Dean of Students and the Director of Upper School will then review the incident. If the Dean of Students and the Director of Upper School believe that the student may have engaged in academic dishonesty, an appropriate course of action will be determined and may include a review by the Disciplinary Committee. In certain instances, Menlo School has the discretion to and may conclude that immediate expulsion is appropriate.

It's important to note that cases of plagiarism will result in academic consequences in addition to disciplinary consequences. In plain words, plagiarizing on a test, a paper, a presentation, your homework, etc. will negatively affect your grade in that class. Your teachers will explain their policy for academic dishonesty; if you don't understand, meet with your teacher so you can be sure you know what to expect.

The Student Handbook can also be found here:

Student & Parent Handbook

Why do some people cheat over and over? Listen to this brief radio program about research into this topic. (transcript available)