FIELDSTON UPPER SCHOOL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

FIELDSTON UPPER SCHOOL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT ACADEMIC INTEGRITY ACADEMIC HONESTY Academic honesty is essential to teaching and learning and to maintainin...
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FIELDSTON UPPER SCHOOL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT ACADEMIC INTEGRITY ACADEMIC HONESTY Academic honesty is essential to teaching and learning and to maintaining a sense of mutual trust and respect within a school community. To present others’ work as one’s own is dishonest and undermines trust across the school community. Teachers should feel confident that all of the work students present is the students’ own, and students should feel confident that no classmate has obtained unfair advantage on an assignment or assessment through academic dishonesty.

FORMS OF ACADEMIC DISHONESTY Tests and Quizzes: The Science Department believes that a student who helps another student cheat is just as guilty as the student who cheats. Forms of cheating include: copying from another student’s quiz or test or allowing another student to copy from a quiz or test; using “cheat” sheets on a quiz or test, giving or receiving information on or about quizzes or tests; giving or receiving help on take-home tests, papers, or projects without the specific permission of the teacher all constitute cheating.

Data Analysis and Lab Reports: Plagiarism is an equally serious violation of academic honesty. Plagiarism involves presenting words, ideas, images, text, or data created by others as one’s own, without acknowledging the source. Copying and pasting words, images, and data from a web site into a report or essay also constitute plagiarism. Classroom teachers can explain to students how to acknowledge the sources they use in their work. Data analysis and manipulation are an integral aspect of scientific thinking. The Science Department encourages collaborative work, however it is expected that each student is able to individually process the data and communicate results. Students may collect data together; however, each student must record the data in his or her own lab notebook. Students may discuss how to approach the analysis and graphing, but must do the data manipulation, tables and graphing on their own. Unless specified by the teacher, the act of emailing or sharing tables, graphs, Excel files, calculations and written portions of their lab report is not appropriate, and is a form of academic dishonesty. Students should acknowledge when they have worked with someone else, including a peer, mentor, parent, tutor, etc. All sources should be cited appropriately. An acknowledgement page should be included with your lab report. Students should share all their drafts that a parent or tutor may have reviewed.

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Tutoring: The Science Department believes that tutoring should be limited, and used only after the following options have been explored. Students should always meet with their teachers for support and clarification. The Department encourages students and families to utilize in-house resources such as the faculty, Learning Center, and the Science Center, where upperclassmen hold drop-in hours for peer tutoring. Should students and families feel tutoring is necessary, conversations with the teacher should take place first. Should a tutor be necessary, refer to guidelines below.

Consequences (From School’s Rules and Regulations): If an Upper School teacher suspects that a student has been guilty of cheating or plagiarism, he or she will meet with the student to discuss the work in question. If after the meeting the teacher remains concerned, he or she will consult with the student’s advisor and form dean. The consequence of cheating or plagiarism on an assignment is a zero on the assignment, with no opportunity to make up the assignment. If a student is found guilty of a second incident of academic honesty at any point in his or her Upper School career, in addition to receiving a grade of zero on the assignment the student will usually be asked to appear before the Discipline Committee. A third incident will also be subject to Discipline Committee review and is likely to result in expulsion.

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_____________________________________________________________________________ Notes about Academic Integrity (written by Jeremy Rosenholtz, modified by the Science Department)

Introduction: There are some ethical “gray areas” that arise from time to time as to what types of “help” are permitted when producing written work. Below are some guidelines to follow. An important rule of thumb: if you are unclear as to whether a certain type of help is permitted, you should always ask for clarification.

Question: What is plagiarism? A student is plagiarizing any time he or she uses someone else’s ideas or language without giving the original source credit. Let’s say that the student borrows just a single sentence from a friend’s work in another class, and puts it in his own. That is most definitely plagiarism. What if the student borrows just four words in a row (which was found on an internet site), and decides to claim them as her own language? That’s plagiarism, too. What if the student just take a single idea (say, from Wikipedia), and uses the idea in his work, but changes around the language to make it his (and doesn’t cite the source with a footnote)? That’s plagiarism. Any time a student writes, all of the ideas and language in the work must be his or her own (or, if the student uses someone else’s ideas or language, credit must give to the original source credit—with a footnote, quotation marks, etc.). All help of any kind must also be cited in the “Acknowledgements Page.” Question: If a tutor, parent, older sibling or Learning Center specialist provides help, what are some important guidelines they should follow to make sure that my work is still my own? · If the helper is a tutor, he or she should always contact the teacher directly so we can discuss appropriate strategies for helping. It’s worth stating again that it seems academically dishonest if a child has a tutor and the teacher is never notified that he or she exists. · The helper should try to avoid (as much as possible) feeding a student ideas about what arguments to make in any written work, and he/she should absolutely avoid inserting his own language into a student’s sentences. · Depending on the specific needs of the student, it is usually the best practice for a student to write her own rough draft, without the assistance of a tutor. Students will usually learn much more about writing when they struggle through a draft by themselves. · All edits made by the helper should be done in pen or pencil on a printed hard copy of the essay (not on the computer). The helper should sign the draft at the top of the first page, and the draft should be handed in to me, along with the student’s final paper. That way, all help will be documented, and the teacher will be able to tell exactly what support a student received. This will help the teacher to assess the student’s strengths and weaknesses and serve him or her better. · Along the same lines, although it seems to be common practice, a student should never e-mail a draft to the helper and receive an e-mail in return with draft revisions. This usually results in wonderfully polished work, while the student has learned absolutely nothing about the revision process. · If a helper offers support at an earlier stage (e.g., he helps the child organize her thoughts into an outline before she writes her rough draft), this too should be documented. 3

· When working on revisions with a helper, the child should generally be the one holding the pen or pencil. This may sound trivial, but the student will usually learn much more about revising written work if he is the one doing all of the physical labor. · Good tutors rarely tell a student what needs to be revised. Rather, good tutoring involves asking a lot of good questions. “Do you think your second body paragraph is as strong as the first?” “Does this sentence sound right to you?” “How might you be able to develop your argument better here?” “What kind of support do you think is needed in this paragraph?” “Can you think of any quotes from the book that might help here?” “Is this word spelled correctly?” Good questions prompt a student to come up with his or her own ideas and language. · Every step of the way, a student should be doing his or her own work. Even with things like spelling, tutors should not be in the habit of simply making corrections. Rather, a good tutor should be developing the good habits of a student discovering his own mistakes and looking up words in the dictionary.

Question: What’s an Acknowledgements Page and the pledge? The Acknowledgements Page is a way for students to focus on an often-neglected affirmative definition of academic integrity. Integrity doesn’t just mean that “cheating is bad”; it also means that thanking others who have helped you is good. For each written work, you will be required to submit an Acknowledgements Page, on which you will thank anyone (parents, friends, classmates, outside sources, internet sites, etc.) who has helped along the way, and what help they provided. EXAMPLE: Thanks to the technology person John Doe for helping us learn how to use the 2010 version of Excel. Thanks to Jane Smith and Mary Kim who led the photosynthesis lab. Thanks to Robert Jones for the conversation during lunch that provided insight about the effect of light on the results. Thanks to Ben Klein for helping me with the calculations. Thanks to my parents who helped me figure out how to shorten the discussion to six pages from seven. Thanks to my tutor, Lisa Blum, for helping me organize my argument.

For the pledge, at the bottom of your Acknowledgements Page, you will always write or type at the bottom the following words: “I have neither given nor received any unauthorized help on this work.” You will then sign your name. If you ever have any questions as to what constitutes “unauthorized help,” you should consult this document. If you are still uncertain as to whether a certain type of help is considered “unauthorized,” you should simply ask me before you receive such help, or at the very least before you turn in your final draft with the signed pledge.

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Conclusion: Hopefully, this document was helpful in clarifying some important and often asked-about issues. If you have any questions throughout the semester, please do not hesitate to ask the teacher.

_____________________________________________________________________________ Please sign and return this portion of the document.

I have read the above document in its entirety. I will keep a copy as a reference throughout the year. Signed,

____________________________________________________________ (Your Name Here)

I have also read the above document in its entirety, and I will contact the teacher with any questions or concerns. Signed,

______________________________________________________________ (Your Parent’s Name Here)

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The following is taken from a document provided by San Diego State University What is paraphrasing? Paraphrasing is putting someone else's words or ideas into your own words. Some·ofthe most common mistakes made when writing a research paper are paraphrasing incorrectly and failing to give the original author credit. Although you are using your own words, the ideas are taken from someone else and must be cited. Paraphrasing is not simply rearranging or rewording an original passage. . Paraphrasing consists ofreading the original passage, understanding what the original author is saying, synthesizing the information, and then writing the ideas in your own words.

Using Direct Quotes You should use direct quotes and paraphrasing to support your own ideas. Give the original author credit when you quote or paraphrase by following a citation style. Use parenthesis, footnotes, or endnotes, to cite the original source, or write sentences that give the original author·credit.

Proper Paraphrasing The following sections will give you examples of acceptable paraphrasing and unacceptable plagiarism.

Example #1 Original Passage: Liquid crystal displays (LCD) have become increasingly popular in workplaces with video display terminals (VDT). Modern LCDs offer many advantages over cathode ray tubes (CRT). LCDs enable employers to reduce many of the risk factors that cause visual complaints. For instance, reflections on LCDs can be considerably lower than on CRTs. Luminance ofLCDs can be adjusted to high values without affecting the size of a pixel, positively affecting the inner contrast of characters. Furthermore, the LCD image is flicker-free. Source: Menozzi, M., Lang, F., Napflin, U., Zeller, C., & Krueger, H. (2001). CRT versus LCD: effects of refresh rate, display technology and background luminance in visual performance. Displays, 22, 79-85. Paraphrase: LCD screens are popular in offices and offer many advantages over CRT screens. LCD screens give employers the opportunity to reduce visual complaints. Reflections are lower on LCD than on CRT screens, they have better luminance, and they are flicker-free. · Is this plagiarism? This paraphrase is plagiarism. The writer of this paraphrase changed a few words and phrases, but did not synthesize the original paragraph and change it into his own words. The writer used the original paragraph with minor changes, and failed to cite the original source. 6

Example #2 Original Passage: Liquid crystal displays (LCD) have become increasingly popular in workplaces with video display terminals (VDT). Modern LCDs offer many advantages over cathode ray tubes (CRT). LCDs enable employers to reduce many of the risk factors that cause visual complaints. For instance, reflections on LCDs can be considerably lower than on CRTs. Luminance ofLCDs can be adjusted to high values without affecting the size of a pixel, positively affecting the inner contrast of characters. Furthermore, the LCD image is flicker-free. · Source: Menozzi, M., Lang, F., Napflin, U., Zeller, C., & Krueger, H. (2001). CRT versus LCD: effects of refresh rate, display technology and background luminance in visual performance. Displays, 22, 79-85. Paraphrase: LCD screens are brighter than CRTs, without losing their pixel clarity and character contrast. Not only do LCDs offer less reflection interference, but they are flicker-free, and may reduce some of the visual health risks traditionally experienced with CRTs. It is because of these advantages that LCD screens are gaining popularity in the workplace (Menozzi, 2001, p.1). Is this plagiarism? After consultation with his instructor and local librarian, the author wrote this nonplagiarized paraphrase. This time, the writer used his own words. The ideas presented in the original passage remain, but the words are now his. He has also given the original author credit.

Example #3 · Original Passage: William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-on-Avon in April (probably April23), 1564. His father was a citizen of some prominence who became an alderman and bailiff, but who later suffered financial reverses. Shakespeare presumably attended the Stratford grammar school, where he could have acquired a respectable knowledge of Latin, but he did not proceed to Oxford or Cambridge. There are legends about Shakespeare's youth but no documented facts. . Source: Abrams, M.H., ed. The Norton Anthology ofEnglish Literature. Vol. 1. New York: -w.w. Norton & Co., 1962.629. Paraphrase: William Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford-on-Avon. His father was a prominent citizen who suffered financial losses after becoming an alderman and bailiff. Shakespeare may have attended the Stratford grammar school and learned Latin, but he did not go on to Oxford or Cambridge. There are no documented facts about Shakespeare's youth so scholars have to rely on legend. Is this plagiarism? This paraphrase is plagiarism. The writer of this paraphrase changed a few words and phrases, but did not synthesize the original paragraph and change it into her own words. The writer used the original paragraph with minor changes, and failed to cite the original source. 7

Example#4 Original Passage: William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-on-Avon in April (probably April23), 1564. His father was a citizen of some prominence who became an alderman and bailiff, but who later suffered financial reverses. Shakespeare presumably attended the Stratford grammar school, where he could have acquired a respectable knowledge of Latin, but he did not proceed to Oxford or Cambridge. There are legends about Shakespeare's youth but no documented facts. Source: Abrams, M.H., ed. The Norton Anthology ofEnglish Literature. Vol. 1. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1962. 629. Paraphrase: William Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford-on-Avon. His father was an affluent member of the community. At one time a well-known and respected alderman and bailiff, he later lost his financial security. Experts suspect that Shakespeare went to the Stratford grammar school where he probably obtained a command of the Latin language, however, since there are no documented facts about his childhood, scholars rely on rumors and stories believed to be historically accurate. They do know that he did not continue his education at Oxford or Cambridge (Abrams 629). Is this plagiarism? This time, the author has written the paraphrase in her own words, changing it significantly from the original passage. The ideas presented in the original passage remain, but the words are now hers. She has also given the original author credit.

Example#5 When you use a key phrase from the original passage, but paraphrase the rest, the key phrase, or original words, needs to be in quotations. For example: Original Passage: The horror genre has become increasingly concerned with the relative and fragile nature of existence. Source: Wells, Paul. The Horror Genre: From Beelzebub to Blair Witch. London: Wallflower, 2000. Acceptable Paraphrase: Horror films often examine the "relative and fragile nature" of humanity and what it means to exist (Wells 9).

How to avoid plagiarism • • • "'

Get to know your citation style guide. Quote and cite phrases, sentences, and paragraphs taken directly from the original source. Quote and cite statistics, charts, graphs and drawings taken directly from the original source. When you paraphrase or summarize, give credit to the original author. 8

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