Academic Integrity Policy

2020-2021

Implementation date	August 2020
SLT approval	May 2020
Advisory Board approval
Review date	August 2021

Fettes College Guangzhou

‘As [IB] learners we strive to be: principled – we act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere. We take responsibility for our actions and their consequences’ (IBO 2013).

‘When students understand the role that they have in the process of their own learning, they can also understand that they are responsible for the production of work submitted for assessment and that all completed examination papers must reflect their own authentic and genuine work. This is the only way students can receive a grade that is fair and reflects their effort’ (‘Academic Integrity’, IBO 2019, p 15).

Fettes College Guangzhou seeks to promote an ethos of Academic Integrity. We aim to develop students who are enquiring, ambitious, reflective, and self-regulated learners. Increasingly, as they move through school, students are expected and encouraged to consult the work of others in formulating their own ideas and arguments and to collaborate in their studies. This carries obligations, and students are expected to make visible and explicit the impact of others’ ideas on their own.

Academic integrity will be supported and promoted by all teaching staff, tutors and SLT, and checked, and was demanded, reported, according to the procedures set out later in this policy. Aspects of this policy will be translated, shared and revisited with students at key points in their education by teachers and tutors, and through the PSHE programme. Integrity is a core Socialist value in China and all of our community seek to uphold it.

We recognise the pressure that students can feel to perform well academically and that this pressure can lead to them making decisions that are harmful; robust pastoral support is core to this policy, and pastoral teams are integral in its development and implementation.

Students learn what acts compromise academic integrity and what constitutes academic dishonesty and malpractice, defined as: ‘The representation of ideas or work of another person as the candidate’s own’ (see IB guide Academic honesty: guidance for schools):

i. Plagiarism – using ideas, words, illustrations, music, data or any other form of published information produced by someone else and passing it off as your own;

ii. Copying – another student’s work with or without their knowledge and passing it off as your own;

iii. Cheating – during an examination communicating with another (other than the invigilator) either in the examination room or outside by speech, sign language, signalling, in writing, via mobile device or by any other means, bringing into the examination room or consulting any unauthorised material;

iv. Collusion – allowing another student to copy your work and submit it as their own, and, copying the work of another student with their agreement and submitting it as your own (please see appendix for further worked examples of collusion).

            v. Falsification – fabricating or altering data;

vi. Students working for the IBDP are not permitted to submit the same work for two different assignments.

How we promote Academic Integrity  

Students

· Students are expected to respect the school values and learn about honesty and integrity during their education at Fettes College Guangzhou. This begins in the Early Years of School when the children learn to understand honesty and integrity, how to act in an honest way, and how dishonesty and a lack of integrity can cause harm to others, and to themselves.

· Children learn to take pride in their achievement and in the processes involved in producing good work including editing, saving and labelling.

· Teachers offer clear direction based on formative assessment what approach a particular task requires – creativity, for example, or accuracy (not that these are mutually exclusive terms).

· Through effective classroom management, reward, feedback, monitoring and teaching and learning strategies, children learn to have confidence in their answers so that they do not feel the need to mimic the ideas of their peers.

· Students learn to acknowledge, cite and reference within a progression from a single citation strategy in Primary School, to the MLA in Middle School and MHRA in the top two years of Senior School. Some students’ work, especially that which is particularly academic, might be better served by other referencing systems, such as Oxford, and students will be supported in learning these as required.

· Opportunities are provided through subject teaching in Middle and Senior schools for students to practice and learn, if necessary, through their mistakes, in ‘low stakes’ assignments that are not intended for external submission to examination boards.

· All Language B learners are potentially vulnerable to plagiarism via translation apps and as a bilingual-international school, we discuss with students to make them aware of how to use supportive translation software without compromising their integrity.

· Explicit and up-to-date refresher instruction in what constitutes malpractice and its consequences in an examination set are delivered to students ahead of external examination sessions.

· Assignment-specific discussion is had in class, of strategies to ensure the submission of work for assessment that has been conducted, and is presented, in an acceptable manner. This is understood to be of particular importance for students studying in the IBDP who submit for assessment a range of assignments with specific demands and challenges.

· Students submitting ‘coursework’ (ie. IB assessments whether internally or externally assessed, or GCSE and A-Level assignments) complete and sign a cover sheet declaration that the work they submit is their own. In the case of GCSE and A-Level, this is provided by the examination board; in the case of the IB, this is designed by the IB Coordinator in accordance with the IB’s suggested model, and students and coordinator make a declaration at the point of upload.

· For ongoing handy reference, students in the IBDP are issued with the IB’s leaflet: ‘Are you completing your IB assignments honestly?’

· In the Sixth Form, students pursuing research projects take a structured approach to their research supported by: academic honesty workshop exploring the changing nature of knowledge in a media age and the implications of that; effective citing and referencing; work-in-progress presentations; and Viva Voce.

· In line with the IB’s own policy, it is the School policy that feedback comments are given on one assignment draft only; many students find it hard to restrict themselves to one draft only and by adopting this policy throughout our school we prepare students to present their work responsibly and appropriately and work hard to prepare the best possible draft, the first time.

· Once in Middle School, and once in Senior School, each student presents an agreed assignment which is run through plagiarism software and the assignment report is subsequently reviewed and discussed.

· Student Voice is regularly consulted to learn from student experience of all the factors that can affect academic integrity from calendar planning to the availability of resources.

Teachers, Tutors and SLT

· Relevant documentation is made readily accessible for example, electronic and hard copies of relevant school IB and exam board regulations and publications are made available so that teachers can easily refer to them for information.

· Through good record keeping and open communication SLT will support teachers, administrative staff and programme coordinators in avoiding conflicts of interest (apparent or real) in academic administration.

· Teachers assess work regularly and cross-reference the work of students.

· Teachers model integrity through their discussion of sources and presentation of class materials including ppts and handouts in the Middle School and beyond, and in all presentations to parents and whole-school audiences.

· One way in which an institution can make a student vulnerable to plagiarism is by poor deadline and calendar planning; we maintain and review an appropriate outline of deadlines for Senior School students, and it is published at the start of the academic year, and in the case of the DP, at the start of DP1 for the two-year programme.

· Academic Integrity features in the new staff induction programme during which anonymized scenarios of malpractice for all ages, stages and contexts are shared and discussed.

Parents

· Parents, Legal Guardians and House Parents are made aware that opportunities are provided through subject teaching in Middle and Senior schools for students to practice and learn, if necessary, through their mistakes, in ‘low stakes’ assignments that are not intended for external submission to examination boards. It is important that they are aware that a parental alarm could inhibit learning.

· Both this policy and the IBO ‘Academic Integrity Policy is made available to parents via the website.

· The Parent Agreement/Code of Conduct features a statement defining academic misconduct in parents.

Malpractice procedure

It is envisaged that by educating students in the forms of malpractice and the need for particular integrity in the media age, our students will develop confidence in their methods of study and present assignments in a manner that is honest. In the event an assignment of any kind is found to contain information lifted from another source and not referenced, the following measures are taken:

A. Students in Grade 5

This procedure should be followed in the appropriate spirit; it is intended to be learning progress for the child rather than a            punishment.

i. If a teacher suspects that a student copied the work, the teacher should talk with the student first to find out whether this is the case.

If the student confirms that he/she has copied work from another student, or students, from books, the Internet or other sources, the student is reminded of the definition of copying and is coached in strategies to avoid any subsequent copying. The student’s class tutor should be present in a supporting role during the conversation.

ii. If the student denies that he/she copies the work, his/her work is presented to him/her and discussed. This conversation should also emphasise positive aspects of the work too. The student is reminded of the definition of copying, is coached in strategies to avoid any subsequent copying. It might be deemed appropriate that the class tutor be present in a supporting role during the conversation; in any case, the class tutor should be kept informed. Where there is repetition within one school Term this might indicate that a student’s understanding remains imperfect and parents/house parents are informed.

B. Students in Grades 6-8 (not submitting coursework for public examinations).

This procedure should be followed in the appropriate spirit; it is intended to develop the child’s understanding for the future and establish their confidence and help them take the right approach next time. Any class teacher wishing to discuss their approach in advance is welcome to talk to the Head of Middle School for guidance.

a)  Class teacher suspecting malpractice approaches the student individually to explore whether they received help from another source:

i. If the student confirms that they have received help, the student is reminded of the definition of malpractice, is coached in strategies to avoid any subsequent infringement, and is asked to repeat the assignment. It might be deemed appropriate that the student’s tutor be present in a supporting role during the conversation; in any case, the student’s tutor is informed.

ii. If the student denies having received any external help, mistakenly or otherwise, their work is presented to them and discussed. This conversation should also emphasize positive aspects of the work too. The student is reminded of the definition of malpractice, is coached in strategies to avoid any subsequent infringement, and is asked to repeat the piece of work, or a section of it, with the support of the teacher. It might be deemed appropriate that the tutor be present in a supporting role during the conversation; in any case, the tutor, and Head of School should be kept informed.

b)  In both cases, any student who has received the first warning but repeats the malpractice should be raised with the Head of Middle School so that appropriate support can be given, including informing their parents.

 c) In any formal test, such as a Bureau examination, any student who commits an act of malpractice will be disqualified from the test and the score should be recorded as invalid. Students have the right to appeal.

B. Grades 9-12

Students experience greater freedom in, and responsibility for, their work as they move through the school and are increasingly expected to cite formally and accurately the work of others. They are also asked to work collaboratively with the additional vigilance this requires. Effective citation and referencing are skills to be taught, learnt and practised and it is natural initially for some of this learning to take place through genuine mistakes having been made. As such, the following is staged from restorative to disciplinary procedures. While this is an academic matter, usual College standards of pastoral care should apply and due to consideration is given to emotional, wellbeing or organizational issues which might lead to malpractice.

a) Malpractice in the citation in non-coursework assignments in genuine error – If malpractice (envisaged in this case as, plagiarism, or collaboration that has become collusion) is suspected in a piece of work the teacher will speak to the student(s) individually and separately to ascertain if malpractice has occurred. If the teacher is satisfied that a genuine error has occurred, the teacher will clarify and coach the student(s) in how to present work honestly. The teacher will inform the tutor of the incident and circumstances, copy it to the relevant HoD and IB Coordinator as necessary. The student will rectify the error. No further action is required.

b) The First instance of malpractice in the non-coursework assignment – if malpractice is suspected, the teacher should notify their tutor as soon as possible. The tutor will know if this is the first offence: if it is, the tutor and relevant HoD will speak to the student of the consequences of any further misconduct. The student will repeat the assignment, or resubmit having rectified the error, as deemed appropriate.

c) Repeat malpractice in non-coursework – in this case, where there is evidence of malpractice and a student has previously been warned about the consequences of malpractice, the tutor should be informed, and a meeting arranged with the Head of School.

d) Malpractice detected in coursework prior to submission to an examination board – if there is evidence of malpractice in coursework, the student will repeat and resubmit the work to their teacher, and this work will be completed under strict supervision. A student whom this applies has, by their actions, forfeited their entitlement to teacher feedback of a draft.

e) Malpractice detected in coursework by examination board – coursework will be subject to the examination board’s procedures and sanctions. This could lead to a student failing a subject, or, in the case of the IBDP, failing the Diploma.

f) Malpractice detected in an examination will be subject to the examination board’s procedures and sanctions.

g) Other possible consequences – In addition to the above, any student in Grades 9-12 who has faced serious disciplinary action, should be aware that the School could in the future be obliged to report this information to any universities that may require it.

h) This policy should be read in conjunction with the ‘Academic Integrity Appendix’ regarding assignments.

This policy will be reviewed annually, in August, according to the school’s established policy review cycle. This will include a comparison of official policy and linked resources and activities to ensure a balance in treatment with a focus on learning and an awareness of the possibility of an information gap. If there is any concern that the policy is ineffective, policy strategy will be reviewed outwith that cycle.

NB. An appendix will be added to this policy (in development August-December 2021) in which details the departmental protocol for the production of all specific individual items of internally and externally assessed coursework (IBDP, IGCSE and A-Level).

JW

April 2020

Interim review for IB Authorisation: March 2021

Linked Policies:

Admissions

Assessment

Language

Inclusive

Gifted and Talented

AUP

Positive Behaviour policy

APPENDIX

1. WORKED EXAMPLES OF COLLUSION

a) Two students are completing their coursework assignments for Mathematics. They have worked alone on the research and have written their literature reviews separately. They decide to work on the analysis of results together. Because the formal structure required of this section means that their final work will look very similar, they feel it is fine to work together this way and submit the assignments as their own individual work.

This is collusion. The students have worked together on one part of the assignment and therefore submit work that cannot be considered their own work.

b) Three students are working on an English Literature essay in which they have to present a summary of three major literary theories. As the research required is substantial, and they only have one week, they decide to share the load with each taking responsibility for one theory each. They work independently on their theory, then share their summaries before writing up their individual final essays for submission.

This is collusion. Each student should use their own research in their own assignment.

c) Four students have been put into a group together to develop a concept for a Children’s Holiday Camp. They use the internet to research existing camps, and they survey their peers to find out what people want in a camp experience. Once they have finalized the concept they must produce a collaborative information leaflet and make a group pitch/presentation in which everyone must speak. The instructions and success criteria say that (apart from the stipulation regarding the presentation) the group can divide the work however they wish. One student designs the ppt slides; one prepares the report on the survey; one writes the pitch and leads the rehearsal, and one takes charge of the technical side of the presentation.

This is not collusion, it is collaboration: the success criteria of the task involve dividing the work in any way the group chooses, and it is accepted by all involved that the presentation and its background work is the outcome of collaboration.

2. MIDDLE SCHOOL FCG CITATION GUIDE

Citation Guide

Middle School FCG

Fettes College Guangzhou seeks to promote an ethos of Academic Honesty and Integrity. We aim to develop students who are enquiring, ambitious, reflective, and self-regulated learners. Increasingly, as they move through the school, students are expected and encouraged to consult the work of others in formulating their own ideas and arguments and to collaborate in their study. This carries obligations, and students are expected to make visible and explicit the impact of others’ ideas on their own.

Teachers are the main agents of academic integrity in the classroom and their role is as important as that of the programme coordinators. They must therefore have the same level of understanding of the expectations of the school’s academic integrity policy and IB expectations. Teachers should be aware that their conduct sets an important example for students. Actions that exhibit infringements to the Academic integrity policy, such as plagiarism, may lead students to believe that rules are irrelevant with severe consequences for their assessment. [1]

FCG Middle School follows the citation formats in MLA (Modern Language Association) Style. MLA style is widely used in the humanities, especially in writing on language and literature. Middle School students are expected to cite the work of others in MLA format. Any class teacher wishing to discuss their approach in advance is welcome to talk to the Head of Middle School for guidance.

This guide contains examples of common citation formats, based on the 8th edition (2016) of the MLA Handbook... Here is a quick citation guide:

The 8th edition of the MLA Handbook recommends using the following core elements in every citation. If elements are missing from the source, they should be omitted from the citation. (“MLA Quick Citation Guide”)[2]

Author.

Title of source.

Title of container,

Other contributors,

Version,

Number,

Publisher,

Publication date

Location.

Works Cited  参考资料

   Citing Books书本引用:

Adams, Amanda. Citing Sources: How to Cite a Book. Academic Press, 2019.

戴炜栋、何兆熊. 新编简明英语语言学教程. 上海外语教育出版社, 2002.

Barnes, Barney. “A Chapter in an Edited Collection.” A Book of Examples, edited by John Smith, Academic Press, 2019, pp.5

张萍萍. “课程内容分析及教学实践指导.” 新版课程标准解析与教学指导, 张秋玲、王彤艳编, 北京师范大学出版社, 2012

E-Reader book (such as Kindle) 电子书引用:

Tetlock, Phillip E., and Dan Gardner. Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction. Kindle edition, Crown, 2015.

Citing Web Pages and Social Media 网页和社交网站引用:

Web Pages网页

The website with the author:

Kraizer, Sherryll. Safe Child. Coalition for Children, 2008, www.safechild.org.

Cox, Christopher, and Brian D. Smith. “The Title of the Article.” The website name, 15 Sept. 2019, www.scribbr.com/page.

王小平、刘文亮. “古今往事再看三国风云.” 历史再观网，2017年11月18日, www.history.com/pagesanguo.

Web page with no author:

"Several Injured in Wrong-Way Crash on FDR: NYPD." NBCNewYork.com, 13 Nov. 2014, www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/NYC-FDR-Drive-East-Side-Highway-Wrong-Way-Crash-Traffic-Jam-282538721.html.

Social Media社交网站

YouTube Video:

Penn State University. "This Is Penn State, This Is Your Career." YouTube, 15 Sep. 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Twf6DBYoecY.

Facebook Post:

TIME. "Angela Merkel is TIME's 2015 Person of the Year." Facebook, 9 Dec. 2015, www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=angela%20merkel%20is%20time%27s%202015%20person%20of%20the%20year

Blog Post:

Whitehead, Tiffany. (librariantiff). "Interacting with Non-Fiction Text." Mighty Little Librarian, 27 Oct. 2015, http://www.mightylittlelibrarian.com/?p=1328.

Citing articles 文章引用:

Article in a daily newspaper:

Dougherty, Ryan. “Jury Convicts Man in Drunk Driving Death.” Centre Daily Times, 11 Jan. 2006, p. 1A.

Article in a scholarly journal:

Stock, Carol D. and Philip A. Fisher. “Language Delays Among Foster Children: Implications for Policy and Practice.” Child Welfare, vol. 40, no. 3, 2006, pp. 445-462.

Article in an online magazine:

Schumaker, Erin. "What's the Deal with 'Natural' Sunscreen?" Huffington Post, 5 July 2016, www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/does-natural-sunscreen-work_us_57767571e4b0a629c1a98df8.

Citing Dictionary 词典引用:

“Mandarin.” The Encyclopedia Americana. 1994 ed.

“Noon.” The Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1989.

“一波三折.”新华词典. 2020版.

Work Cited

Academic integrity. IB Education.October 2019. P.13

“MLA Quick Citation Guide”. PennState University Libraries, Feb 19, 2021, https://guides.libraries.psu.edu/mlacitation

“MLA Formatting And Style Guide”. Purdue University, Mar 9, 2021, https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_general_format.html