For Students
Advice for Students from the Office of Community Standards
Your College is your community. It represents a safe place where you can explore
your identity and craft your future. At Middlesex we believe in training students
to grow as humans and prepare for a life of active citizenship. We do this through
offering experiences that help students consider what it means to be socially responsible.
We understand that students need to discover what matters to them and that many may
change their minds during the process. We also expect you might make a mistake a two
along the way. Learning is a life-long process. Take advantage of the resources
and support MCC offers, use your voice, make a difference, and build your character.
You’ve got this.
Collaborating on Assignments
Students are often encouraged to work in groups or on team projects. It’s widely
accepted that learning with peers is a best practice towards strong understanding
of the course material. However, the line between collaboration and cheating isn’t
always clear. Study together, test each other, support your classmates, but remember
that you earn your own grade. Faculty must be able to assess your work as an individual.
Collaboration is a virtue and skill that is highly regarded and commonly complimented
in myriad settings. It’s critical that students fully understand the scope of the
expected cooperation for each course and each assignment. When in doubt, ask your
professor.
Self-Plagiarism
The Middlesex Community College Code of Conduct includes academic dishonesty as a violation of a student’s responsibilities. Multiple submissions of a paper is an integrity violation (also known as ‘recycling fraud’). Self-plagiarism is a confusing concept for many students. Submitting your own work a second time is considered plagiarism. If you represent your work as original for a particular class when, in fact, you used the assignment previously, you can be held responsible for violating class policy and the MCC Code of Conduct. You are expected to complete assignments during the current semester thereby demonstrating effort you put into that particular course. Turning in an old paper or project is making a false claim that you completed work for the current class. It is considered fraud to duplicate your own work without acknowledging the original content. You may wish to connect with your current professor, explain you have completed prior related work, and ask how you might further your research or cite yourself as a source. Likely you will be asked to pick a different topic.
Keeping it Honest
Honesty is the best policy. College students, like all human beings, often struggle with prioritizing their values. How does one choose Integrity over Loyalty? Trustworthiness over Academic Success? Credibility over a 4.0 GPA? Scholastic dishonesty – even when hidden – impacts one’s character. If nobody finds out, perhaps the reputation is not yet tarnished, but how you represent yourself going forward will not be accurate or deserved. Justifying cheating once often leads to further instances of dishonesty. Everyone is faced with difficult decisions throughout their life. Now is the time to take responsibility – even if at a cost.