The English Department, along with the rest of the Conval High School staff, is committed to the intellectual development of all of our students and we feel that the only way to accomplish this growth is through a student’s original and individual work. Students who attempt to receive credit for work which is not their own are depriving themselves of an opportunity to learn and progress.

According to the LITTLE BROWN ESSENTIAL HANDBOOK FOR WRITERS “Plagiarism (from a Latin word for ‘kidnapper’) is the presentation of someone else’s ideas or words as your own” (Aaron, p.133).

Whether you are copying a paper from the internet or another student, copying someone else’s homework, looking at another student’s answers on a test or quiz, resubmitting work that has already received credit or not giving adequate attribution for information from a source in a research paper you are guilty of academic dishonesty.

All types of academic dishonesty will receive the harshest penalty: zero credit for the work submitted. If the assignment carries sufficient weight, such action could result in a failure for the entire course. In addition, students will be referred to the administration for possible further consequences.

As your teachers we want you to understand the importance of this policy and have you share it with your parents. Please read and discuss it with them and sign and return the bottom part of this letter to your current English teacher.