Taurage Versme Gymnasium
IBDP - Related Academic Honesty Policy
2013-2014
Context
Taurage Versme Gymnasium offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) as
an alternative to the National Curriculum in the final two years of secondary education. Our school
believes that any form of malpractice in unacceptable. Therefore, the school has prepared a policy
to prevent and detect malpractice.
Academic honesty here primarily means that any work that an IBDP student produces is his/her
own original work. “An authentic piece of work is one that is based on the candidate’s individual
and original ideas with the ideas and work of others fully acknowledged.” (IBO, 2007).
Malpractice in General regulations: Diploma Programme is defined as behaviour that results in, or
may result in, the candidate or any other candidate gaining an unfair advantage in one or more
assessment component. Malpractice includes:

plagiarism: this is defined as the representation of the ideas or work of another person as
the candidate’s own

collusion: this is defined as supporting malpractice by another candidate, as in allowing
one’s work to be copied or submitted for assessment by another

duplication of work: this is defined as the presentation of the same work for different
assessment components and/or diploma requirements

any other behaviour that gains an unfair advantage for a candidate or that affects the
results of another candidate:

taking unauthorized material into an examination room (for example, an
electronic device other than a permitted calculator, own rough paper, notes, a
mobile phone) regardless of whether this material is used or potentially
contains information pertinent to the examination

misconduct during an examination, including any attempt to disrupt the
examination or distract another candidate

exchanging or in any way supporting, or attempting to support, the passing
on of information that is related to the examination

copying the work of another candidate

failing to comply with the instructions of the invigilator or other member of
the school’s staff responsible for the conduct of the examination
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
impersonating another candidate

stealing examination papers

using an unauthorized calculator during an examination

disclosing or discussing the content of an examination paper with a person
outside the immediate school community within 24 hours of the end of the
examination

fabricating data for an assignment.
Avoiding malpractice is a responsibility that is shared by both teachers and students. Teachers must
promote and advocate academic honesty through the clear instruction of appropriate research and
citation skills. Moreover, students must ensure that the work they produce is authentic. Teachers,
students and their parents must be acquainted with the rights and responsibilities, as well as the
possible disciplinary consequences, of failing to comply with the regulations indicated in this
policy.
The IBDP coordinator and teachers should also behave in alignment with the academic policy.
Examples of unacceptable conduct by an IBDP coordinator or teacher are indicated in the IBO
Academic Honesty guide (IBO, 2007) and they are as follows:

the unauthorized rescheduling of an examination

failing to keep the examination papers secure prior to an examination

opening examination paper packets prior to an examination

providing a candidate with undue assistance in the production of any work (whether written
or oral) that contributes to the assessment requirements of the Diploma Programme

leaving candidates unsupervised during an examination

allowing additional time in examinations without authorization from the IBO

releasing an examination paper, or otherwise disclosing information about the content of a
paper, within 24 hours of the end of the examination.
Policy
IBDP Coordinator‘s Responsibilities:
1) At the end of each academic year IBDP Coordinator together with the IBDP teachers and SMT
revise the IBDP Acedemic Honesty Policy and make amendments in case of necessity.
2) During the first meeting with new IBDP students and their parents, which will take place in June,
the IBDP Coordinator introduces and explains our school IBDP Academic Honesty Policy. Each
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student then receives a form which has to be signed to make sure that they understand the content of
the Academic Honesty Policy and accept all possible consequences outlined in the policy in case of
plagiarism before starting the programme.
3) In case of possible malpractice the IBDP Coordinator together with the DP teachers and SMT
investigate the case and make a decision.
I am acquainted with Taurage Versme Gymnasium IBDP Academic Honesty Policy, and
understand the content and accept the consequences outlined in the policy should I plagiarise my
work.
Date:__________________________
Name: ___________________________________
Signature: _________________________
Teachers‘ Responsibilities:
At the beginning of each academic year DP teachers should once again explain to the IBDP students
what malpractice is and ensure that they know what the academic integrity is and help them develop
proper research and citation skills. Also, a clear organisational pattern of work in the classroom will
help prevent malpractice. Teachers:

ensure that their students‘ work is authentic;

supervise the development of assignments and provide advice to students when necessary by
observing students‘ work in the classroom and by checking their drafts and plans well in
advance before a due date;

set a deadline leaving enough time to detect malpractice;

request students to submit all assignments electronically and in a hard copy;

every time a students hands in his final copy of the written assignment, he/she signs the
form confirming that this is his/her authentic work;

check for possible malpractice and only then grade the assignment;

in case of possible malpractice report to the IBDP Coordinator for further procedure.
Students‘ Responsibilities:
Students understand the significance and seriousness of the issues related to academic honesty.
They are also well aware of all possible disciplinary consequences of any form of malpractice. To
prevent malpractice students have to:
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
uphold academic integrity and submit only authentic work;

keep all the drafts and plans carefully filed and submit them timely when requested by the
teacher;

make sure you know how to do research and how to cite properly to avoid malpractice;

acknowledge the work of others in your works cited and/or bibliography. Do it in a proper
way;

submit final copies of written assignment electronicaly as well as in a hard copy format;

ensure that your work is authentic by signing the form of academic honesty.
Consequences of Malpractice:
1st offence:
The student will get a zero for the assignment. Parents will be called to school to be informed of the
offence and possible consequences in case of any future case of malpractice. The student may have
an opportunity to re-write the paper.
2nd offence:
The student will get a zero for the assignment. SMT will be informed of the repetitive offence.
Parents will be called to school to be informed of the offence and possible consequences in case of
any future case of malpractice (which would mean expulsion from the IBDP). The student may
have an opportunity to re-write the paper.
3rd offence:
The student will get a zero for the assignment. SMT will be informed of the repetitive offence.
Parents will be called to school to be informed of the offence and expulsion from the IBDP.
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