​​Plagiarism Policy

When ideas are taken from other sources without giving credit, this is known as plagiarism. Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of somebody else’s words or ideas.

We expect our students to act with academic integrity, and to use their own knowledge to demonstrate authentic learning. We expect our students to be honest and ethical in their schoolwork and in how they deal with others. Our teachers support students' authentic and ethical learning through teaching when and how to cite resources, by using online tools like Turnitin, and a variety of other ways.

When To Give Credit in Your Work

Need To Give Credit​

  • When you are using or referring to someb​​ody else’s words or ideas from a magazine, book, newspaper, song, TV program, movie, web page, computer program, letter, advertisement, or any other source.
  • ​When you use information gained through interviewing another person.
  • When you copy the exact words from somewhere.
  • When you reprint any diagrams, illustrations, charts, and pictures.

Don't Need to Give Credit 

  • ​When you are writing your own experiences, your own observations, your own insights, your own thoughts, your own conclusions about a subject.
  • When you are using common knowledge, common sense observations, or shared information.
  • When you are using generally accepted facts.
  • Whe​n you are writing up your own experimental results.

Academic Expectations

Students are expected to behave according to the CBE Student Code of Conduct. Students who knowingly misrepresent the work of others as their own, or allow their work to be copied, act outside of the parameters of academic integrity. If this happens, we use Progressive Student Discipline so that teachers, parents, and school leaders can help students take responsibility for their learning to achieve their academic goals. ​

Academic Integrity

Independent versus Collaborative Assignments

Learning to work on your own (independently), and with others (collaboratively) are both important lifelong skills.  In general, school assignments will be directed to either develop your individual working skills (independent) or your ability to work in a group (collaboratively).  Teachers design assignments, projects and learning opportunities so that you have a rich experience in reaching your Essential Student Learning Outcomes. If you cheat, you are robbing yourself of the chance to learn and truly understand.  To use outside help or materials not allowed in an individual assignment or test is cheating. IF you are unclear about whether an assignment is an individual or a group assignment, it is your responsibility to ask your teacher.

Examples of Cheating

  • turning in someone else’s work as your own
  • turning in work that was finished by someone else
  • copying someone’s work (with or without permission)
  • allowing someone to copy your work
  •  passing notes or getting information from another student during a test or quiz
  • passing notes or giving information to another student during a test or quiz
  • getting information from another student who has already written a test or quiz
  • not giving credit (referencing) to a source of information
  • cutting and pasting directly from the internet

Cheating is a serious offense and parents are always contacted.  You will not be given credit towards reaching an Essential Student Learning Outcome if you are caught cheating. Your teacher will work with you to determine how to make amends and what the full consequences could be.  Consequences can range from detention, to re-doing a test/quiz, all the way to suspension or expulsion in serious cases. 

Last modified on