Standards of Student Conduct

The Santa Monica Community College District has established regulations to encourage students to conduct themselves as responsible members of the college community and in a manner compatible with the educational missions of the District. Students are subject to District authority and the specific regulations established by the District. Those who violate the District regulations are subject to disciplinary actions, including but not limited to cancellation of registration, and may be denied future admission to the College.

Each student should:

Not engage in disruptive behavior
Not engage in willful disobedience of the directions of your instructor
Not abuse other students or SMC personnel
Conduct oneself in a courteous and respectful manner in communications and actions toward members of the SMC community
Be appropriately attired

Academic Integrity

Don't cut-copy-paste

To maintain a high standard of academic integrity in Chem 9, please conduct yourself honestly and responsibly during quizzes, exams, and when completing graded assignments.

Cheating of any kind is dishonest. This includes internet search for answers, copying answers from another student, falsification of experimental data on a lab report, and communicating during a exam. Using AI-generated content as your own work is also considered plagiarism.

Per SMC policy, any indications of cheating will result in zero score for the assignment in question.

Serious violations of academic integrity will be reported to the Campus Disciplinarian

Photo from AJE Scholar, B. Mudrak, Self-Plagiarism: How to Define it and Why You Should Avoid It

Discussion Guidelines

Weekly discussions are focused on sustainability, and allow students to share their thoughts, and also to communicate with other students. Your discussion posts should be thoughtful and reflect your understanding of the subject matter.

You are required to respond to the discussion topic every week; occassionally you'll be asked to reply to other students' posts.

While AI can be a useful tool for research and writing, it should never be used to generate entire discussion posts. If you use information from any source, including AI-generated content, make sure to properly cite it in your work.

Read the instructions for guidance and prompts for your post.
Most discussions include a video for additional background.
Share your experiences as it relates to the topic. Make connections to your own personal background and culture.

How to Succeed in Chem 9

To be successful, you'll need to strengthen skills like working independently, budgeting your time, and staying organized.

Plan to spend 12-15 hours every week on Chem 9, between attending lectures, exams and labs on campus, completing online coursework, and studying the material.

Take your time and take pride in your work. Here are five basic tips to help you make the most of your time:

Set a weekly study schedule - and stick to it. Completing and submitting the assignments challenging, especially when you're juggling multiple responsibilities. It's no coincidence that one study found that 79% of students identified time management as critical to their educational success. Being self-disciplined is important in not only your college education but also your future career.
Create a study space. Finding a space to work where you won’t be disturbed and can set up will help you stay focused and keep your study materials organized.
Get started on assignments early - and submit assignments early. Students often say they "need the pressure" of waiting until the last minute, but the truth is procrastinating causes unnecessary stress and leads to less-than-quality work.
Communicate regularly with your instructor - use Canvas Inbox. Besides getting your questions answered, establishing a working relationship with your instructor is essential for expanding your professional network and developing a list of references you can use for career purposes. Assistance and guidance are available from me, or free tutoring from SMC (Science Resource Center or STEM Tutoring).
Come prepared to lab. Be fully present during lab sessions. Read the lab procedure and complete the prelab assignment before lab. Use your time during lab to complete the lab report.

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