LAIS Academic Honesty Policy

Lower Austrian International School (LAIS), guided by the philosophy of the IB, attaches great importance to high standards of academic integrity. Academic honesty is expected from all members of the LAIS community including administrators, teaching staff and students. Respect and fairness count among the principles we consider fundamental. Hence, all our students need to be aware of the meaning and significance of academic honesty in every phase of their academic life and are obliged to present as their own work only that which is genuinely theirs.

 

The following behaviour falls under the definition of malpractice:

 

1. Plagiarism

 ·         includes the literal repetition without acknowledgment of the writings of another author. All significant phrases, clauses, or passages in this paper which have been taken directly from source material have been enclosed in quotation marks and acknowledged in the text itself as well as in the list of works cited or bibliography.

 ·         includes borrowing another’s ideas and representing them as my own. To paraphrase the thoughts of another writer without acknowledgment is to plagiarize. Plagiarism also includes inadequate paraphrasing. Paraphrased passages (those put into my own words) have been properly acknowledged in the text and in the bibliography.

 ·         includes using another person or organization to prepare this paper and then submitting it as my own work.

 

2. Collusion occurs when any student knowingly or intentionally helps another student perform an act of academic dishonesty. Collusion in an act of academic dishonesty will be disciplined in the same manner as the act itself.

 

3. Duplication of work is defined as the presentation of the same work for different assessment components and/or IB diploma requirements.

 

4. Any other behaviour that gains an unfair advantage for a candidate or that affects the results of another candidate (for example; taking unauthorized material into an examination room, misconduct during an examination, falsifying a CAS record, disclosure of information to and receipt of information from candidates about the content of an examination paper within 24 hours after a written examination)

  

Introduction to academic honesty, research and writing

The IB coordinator and the deputy coordinator inform all LAIS IB students about academic honesty and malpractice at the beginning of IB DP Year 1. In order to make candidates aware of the importance of the principles of integrity and honesty, also consequences of academic dishonesty are outlined and every student has to sign the LAIS Academic Honesty Policy.

LAIS students receive introduction to academic research and writing through the librarian. During introduction sessions proper research and citation is being taught and students learn why they are expected to cite properly.

LAIS teachers understand and communicate to their students the ethical deficiency of academic malpractice and illustrate clearly the consequences of plagiarism, collusion and any other form of malpractice.

By keeping track of a student’s academic progress in both the composition of presentations and papers, the coordination team and teachers aim to detect uncharacteristic temporary improvements in ability.

 

How we avoid plagiarism

In addition to the introduction to academic research and consistent reminders through the coordinator, the coordinator deputy and teaching staff to adhere to our standards and principles, we use an academic plagiarism software (PlagScan) to check our students’ papers including Extended Essays, TOK essays and internal assessment assignments.

 

Possible sanctions for academic dishonesty

Sanctions given to a student are based on the severity of the violation of our principles and are discussed between teaching staff and the school administration before being imposed. Incidents of malpractice can be related to classwork, homework and exams and reach can from a suspected breach of academic honesty to a proven case of malpractice.

The following are examples of possible sanctions that can be imposed in case of academic dishonesty:

·         A disciplinary warning.

·         No grade being awarded for an assignment or exam.

·         A sanction letter being sent to the student’s parents from the headmistress.

·         An official warning from the governing body.

·         Malpractice being noted in the school report.

·         Recommendation for withdrawal from the school.

·         Sanctions through the IB.