Copyright and Honor Code/Council Information for Faculty   Tags: aufderheide, code of best practices, copyright, documentary film, fair use, honor code, honor council, library instruction, media literacy education, online video, renee hobbs  

Honor Code:

• Berkeley Preparatory School is a community whose members should believe strongly in the concept of honor; each student is expected to develop a sense of personal integrity in academic work and in dealings with others in the Berkeley community.
• Students are supported and guided by the faculty in an endeaver to develop this sense of personal integrity.  The Berkeley community recognizes and reinforces the importance of developing a lifelong habit of ethical conduct.
• All tests and quizzes must have a blank for the students to write in "I pledge my honor." Tests, quizzes, and examinations missing the Honor Code confirmation should not be graded until the pledge is rendered.
• Faculty members, administrators, and student leaders support and reinforce honorable behavior by each student, but it is the student who is responsible for developing a personal code of ethics within the framework of the Berkeley community.
• The Berkeley Honor Council serves as a separate and distinct body from the Serious Discipline Committee.
• The Berkeley Honor Council will meet to determine whether an alleged honor violation has occured and if necessary make recommendations to the administration on appropriate repercussions.

Official info from the US Copyright Office.

Our classrooms and exam locations must be ‘high risk’ environments for any student(s) inclined to cheat. By our actions, classroom teachers and exam proctors can discourage or, conversely, encourage opportunistic cheating. Therefore, the following professional requirements and  suggestions are an attempt to promote good professional practice, discourage cheating and protect teachers from criticism or questioning when there is a suspicion of cheating ‘on their watch’:

Teachers are required to:

• Present in writing to students the expectations of academic integrity.
• Inform students well in advance about tests, quizzes and assignments to avoid last minute pressuring.
•  Print academic honesty classroom policies pertaining to tests and quizzes on all tests and quizzes. 
• Outline clearly if students are allowed to work together on assign­ments and to what extent they may share ideas and work.
• Protect exam, quiz and test keys.
• Circulate throughout class periodically.
• Go to students to answer questions.
•  Use multiple versions of each test/quiz.
•  Re-write exam questions from year to year.
• Have the students submit their papers prior to the due date to Turn-it-in.com. 

 Please do not:

• Assign take-home tests.
• Sit behind a desk for the duration of the quiz, test or exam.
• Use substitute teachers to administer tests or quizzes.
• Leave the room during testing.
• Allow students to leave the room during testing unless there is an emergency situation.  (If this is a regular classroom practice, it will not be a problem during tests.)
• Allow students to circulate in the classroom during testing.

Suggestions:

·     Students should be encouraged to cover their answers sheets. 

·     The teacher/proctor should consider sitting at the rear of the room during the quiz or test.

·     Design classroom policies to discourage dishonesty (throw out the lowest quiz grade, give more assessments, allow the students one free pass if they feel they are not prepared).

·     Review your expectations pertaining to paraphrasing and citations with your students.

·     Break the assignment into smaller component parts in order to dissuade procrastination.

• Encourage students to utilize the writing center tutors.

 Suggestions from the Technology Department: 

•  Avoid giving on-line or computer tests, quizzes, etc. Instead, print out a copy of the test so that students can hand-write the answers.
• Use DyKnow to block access to websites and/or other programs while taking graded assessments, such as tests or writing assignments. Monitor DyKnow throughout the assessment to be aware of students’ movements.
• When giving computer tests, orient the room so that all computers monitors face the teacher. Circulate throughout the classroom periodically.
• For in-class essay tests or other Microsoft Word-based assessments, have students use a partial screen. Only the word document should be open – all other windows should be closed – so that only the document and the background wallpaper should be visible.
• Use on-line tests, quizzes, etc. as practice assessments or allow students to work in groups as a learning opportunity, not as a graded assessment.

Potential Honor Violations

Handle the issue at the classroom level:

1. Improperly cited work

• Quotation marks not used properly or at all, incorrect citing, etc. the teacher feels student made error(s) in ignorance. 
• Paraphrasing is attempted, but incomplete.

2. Wandering eyes during a test or a quiz

• Remind the class to keep their eyes on their own tests.

3. Reflexive lies

• Remind the student of the importance of being honest and follow up the discussion at a later time (preferably after class).

 Consult with the appropriate Dean and/or Honor Council Chair:

1. Plagiarism

• Clear copying of significant text without citation.
• Clear copying of significant text from another student.

2. Cheating in Class

• Student is caught with unauthorized assistance during a test or quiz.

3. Lying

• A blatant lie to a member of the faculty, or a pattern of dishonesty over time.

4. Stealing

Fair use is the right to use copyrighted material without permission or payment under some circumstances--especially when the cultural or social benefits of the use are predominant.  This right generrally applies for certain narrowly defined classroom activities.

Please contact CD McLean (UD), Dave Schumacher (MD), Christina Arcuri (MD/UD), or Kathleen Edwards (LD) if you have questions about copyright.