Academic Honor Code

As a student at Wiregrass Ranch High School, you have entered a community of student scholars and educators who are committed to excellence in education. Take the time to read and think about what you want your education to mean to you.  It is assumed that all students will pursue their studies with integrity and honesty. This means that all work for which the student wants to receive a grade, credit or recognition will be the work of the individual student. Academic honesty is a very serious commitment to make so please do not do so lightly.

Students have the responsibility (1) to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity in the student’s own work, (2) to refuse to tolerate violations of academic integrity in the school community, and (3) to foster a high sense of integrity and social responsibility on the part of your class and in the Wiregrass Ranch High School community.

Violations of the following infractions will result in severe disciplinary action by your teacher, which will include – but are not limited to – a grade of F on the assignment/test, a referral, and parental contact. The following are considered egregious infractions of the academic honor code:

I. Cheating

1. Copying, in part or in whole, from someone else’s test;
2. Altering or interfering with grading;
3. Using or consulting any of the following during an examination; any sources, consulting with others, use of electronics equipment including cell phones and PDAs, or use of materials not authorized by the instructor; or
4. Committing other acts, which defraud or misrepresent.

II. Plagiarism

1. Incorporating the ideas, words, sentences, paragraphs or parts of another person’s writings without giving appropriate credit, and representing the product as your own;
2. Representing another’s scholarly works such as written assignments or projects as your own;
3. Submitting a paper purchased from a research or term paper service, including the Internet; or
4. Undocumented Web source usage.

III. Other Specific Examples of Academic Dishonesty

1. Purposely allowing another student to copy from your paper during a test;
2. Giving your homework, written assignments or other academic work to another to plagiarize;
3. Having another person submit any work in your name;
4. Lying to a teacher to improve your grade;
5. Altering a graded work after it has been returned, then submitting the work for re-grading;
6. Stealing tests;
7. Forging signatures of parents or other students on documents; or
8. Collaboration without permission of your teacher.