Purpose

At Iqra’a American School (IQAS), academic honesty is fundamental to maintaining a culture of trust, respect, and integrity. This policy is designed to ensure that all students engage in learning as principled, responsible, and reflective individuals. By understanding and practicing academic honesty, students develop ethical values that support both their academic success and personal growth.

Definition of Academic Honesty

Academic honesty is the commitment to producing and submitting work that authentically reflects a student’s own understanding, effort, and abilities. It involves acknowledging the contributions of others through proper citation, respecting intellectual property, and demonstrating integrity in all academic activities and assessments.

Importance of Academic Honesty

Academic honesty plays a vital role in education and personal development by:

• Promoting Personal Integrity
  Encouraging ethical behavior, responsibility, and sound decision‑making in all areas of learning.

• Respecting the Work of Others
  Recognizing and valuing the intellectual contributions of peers, authors, and researchers.

• Ensuring Authentic Learning
  Supporting genuine inquiry, deeper understanding, critical thinking, and independent problem‑solving.

• Preparing Students for the Future
  Developing habits of integrity and accountability essential for higher education, professional life, and responsible citizenship.

Student Responsibilities

Students at IQAS are expected to:

• Understand Academic Integrity
  Demonstrate awareness of what constitutes plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic misconduct.

• Acknowledge Sources Appropriately
  Properly credit all ideas, information, and materials obtained from external sources using accepted citation practices.

• Collaborate Responsibly
  Engage in collaborative learning when permitted, while ensuring individual contributions are clearly identified and appropriately represented.

• Seek Clarification
  Consult teachers, librarians, or academic staff when uncertain about research practices, collaboration, or citation requirements.

• Take Ownership of Learning
  Complete assignments, assessments, and examinations independently unless collaboration is explicitly authorized.

Examples of Academic Dishonesty

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Plagiarism
  Using another person’s words, ideas, or work without proper acknowledgment.

• Cheating
  Using unauthorized materials, assistance, or technology during assessments or assignments.

• Fabrication
  Inventing, altering, or falsifying data, sources, or research findings.

• Collusion
  Allowing one’s work to be copied or submitted by another student as their own.

• Misrepresentation
  Submitting purchased, pre‑written, or AI‑generated work as one’s original effort without authorization or disclosure.

Teaching Academic Honesty Across Grade Levels

IQAS recognizes that academic honesty is a developmental skill and supports students progressively across grade levels:

• Elementary School
  Students learn to distinguish between their own ideas and those of others, understand fairness, and practice basic acknowledgment of sources.

• Middle School
  Students develop research skills, learn formal citation methods, and gain awareness of the ethical implications of academic misconduct.

• High School
  Students demonstrate advanced research skills, critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and consistent use of comprehensive citation practices across all subjects.

Support for Students

IQAS is committed to supporting students in understanding and upholding academic honesty through:

• Instructional lessons and workshops on research and citation skills
• Access to academic tools, including citation guides and plagiarism detection resources
• Ongoing guidance and support from teachers, librarians, and counselors

Conclusion

By adhering to this Academic Honesty Policy, students at Iqra’a American School develop as principled learners who value integrity, responsibility, and respect for intellectual work. Academic honesty is a cornerstone of high‑quality education and an essential life skill that prepares students for success beyond the classroom.