RMHS Policy on Academic Integrity

1. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: CHEATING & PLAGIARISM
In order to develop the skills to become effective communicators, learners and
ethical citizens of the 21s t century, students must maintain high standards of
personal and academic integrity. Cheating and plagiarism undermine the
educational process and deny students the opportunity to maximize their learning
potential.
Plagiarism occurs when a student copies information and/or ideas from another
source, fails to give credit to that source, and passes the information off as his/her
own. Examples of plagiarism include but are not limited to:
1. Failure to properly cite text, pictures, or ideas obtained directly from books,
articles, internet resources, instant messages, or emails.
2. Failure to cite quoted material or paraphrased material.
3. Use of false data or citations.
4. Buying research papers or paying someone to write research papers and
submitting them as original work.
5. Allowing someone else to submit your work as their own.
6. Submitting someone else’s work as your own.
CONSEQUENCES FOR CHEATING & PLAGIARISM
(Please note that offenses are cumulative over a student’s high school career)
First Offense
1.The teacher will notify administration to establish that this is a first offense.
2.The student cannot receive a passing grade on the assignment and may receive a
score of zero.
3.The teacher will notify the student’s parent or guardian.
4.The student should meet with his/her guidance counselor.
5.If the student has applied for entry in the National Honor Society, NHS advisors
will be notified of the infraction.
6.Administration reserves the right to impose disciplinary measures, including
suspension.
Second Offense:
1.The teacher will notify administration.
2.The student will receive a score of zero on the assignment.
3.The teacher will notify the student’s parent or guardian.
4.The student will meet with his/her guidance counselor.
5.Administration will document the incident in the student’s discipline file.
6. If the student has applied for entry in the National Honor Society, NHS advisors
will be notified of the infraction.
7.Administration will impose disciplinary measures that could include suspension.
From the “Reading Memorial High School Student Handbook 2016-2017.” Available at:
reading.k12.ma.us/memorial