Teaching and Learning at Middlesex

Teaching & Learning

Middlesex University Dubai continues to work closely with relevant authorities of the UAE government to ensure the health and safety of our community. Middlesex University Dubai is open for face-to-face teaching and learning and the campus experience is vibrant with students studying from all over the world. We continue to monitor the situation and follow the health and safety protocols issued by the UAE Authorities.

All classes, lab sessions, seminars, and tutorials for the 2022-2023 academic year will be taught in person, face-to-face and on campus. We are doing everything we can to make sure that you continue to get a great learning experience with us in September, with lots of support to achieve your potential and to do your best.

University study requires you to manage your own learning to a greater degree than perhaps you have been required to do so far. Generally, as a full-time student, it is expected that you should study for approximately 40 hours each week. This is divided into 'direct contact teaching' (the sessions scheduled on your timetable) and self-study.

The level of personal responsibility you have over your own study may be daunting if you are not used to it. You can give yourself the best chance of success if you develop an effective learning strategy from the start of your studies. The University also offers a range of resources for you to develop and improve your study skills.

As a student of Middlesex, you will experience a variety of learning and teaching methods. In higher education, it is common for students to have a combination of lectures, tutorials, seminars, practical sessions and lab sessions, as well as online learning materials. Many lectures, labs and seminars are planned by your tutors with an expectation that you will have completed specified reading/activity in advance of the session. The learning sessions have been developed to suit the nature of the module and the programme of studies and to enable students to deeply engage with their subjects and achieve the learning outcomes. They vary in format and structure across modules and programmes and cater to different learning styles.

The scheduled learning sessions, along with independent study and the wide range of support provided by learning support University Departments (i.e. the Library and the CAS) are designed to allow you to demonstrate your understanding of the learning concepts and to critically engage with the ideas and practices of your subject.

What is a lecture?

A lecture is a talk or presentation delivered by a tutor to teach you about your chosen subject. Lectures will often be interactive, and tutors may expect your participation-this could be as part of a discussion or a group activity. Lectures are the starting point for your studies, and it is important that you attend as seminars and tutorials will build on the material covered in the lectures.

What you need to do:

• be punctual: you'll get a better understanding of the aims of the session and the links to previous material if you hear the lecture in its entirety.
• engage in 'active listening' during the lecture. Take notes to prompt your recollection of the important themes of the lecture.
• be courteous - don't interrupt the learning of others through talking or arriving late.
• Comply with the instructions of your lecturers relating to tasks that you are required to undertake prior, during and after the lecture.

What is a seminar?

Your timetable will also include seminars. Seminars are ways of teaching smaller groups of students through practice focused discussions and other active learning strategies. Sometimes the seminar leader will ask you to work in small groups to undertake various tasks and activities and will provide constructive feedback to the larger group at the end.

The emphasis of seminars is learning through interactive sessions and all students are expected to prepare, attend, and participate. The seminars are an excellent time to raise points that you have not understood. Seminars are a good way to get to know others and enhance your team working skills.

What you need to do:

• Complete any preparatory work in advance of the seminar
• Play an active role in any group work
• Try to read around your subject and think about how what you are learning relates to events outside the University.

Online learning

Many of your modules at University will have an online component delivered via MyMDX, and you will be expected to use the materials and work through them. There will often be handouts, additional information, reading lists and quizzes for you to test yourself. As the information for each module is managed by the Module Leader, each module is likely to look different and some may contain more information than others.

What you need to do:

• Get accustomed to navigating around MyMDX and familiarise yourself with all the materials available for each module
• Explore the online resources available from the Library

Organising your studies

Having good organisational skills is essential to manage your university work alongside the rest of your life. Here are a few handy hints to help you manage your time and develop your planning skills.

• Plan in advance. You will be informed about your assessments at the beginning of the term, so use this to plan your time.
• Break it up. Looking at an assignment as one large project can be daunting. Break it up into manageable sized chunks, i.e. producing a plan for the assignment, gathering materials or references etc. Then give each chunk a deadline to work through in good time. Leaving assignments to the last minute may mean that you can't access the books and resources you want to deliver the best possible work.
• Be realistic. If you know you have commitments, e.g. a birthday or an evening scheduled with friends during one of the weeks, it is likely to be difficult to get your allotted work done. Don't fret; just make sure you plan it in so you make up for it before or after.

Learning sessions and assessments for different learning abilities

The University is committed to addressing barriers to inclusion (structural, cultural, organisational and attitudinal) and takes as its starting point the premise that accessible and appropriate provision is not ‘additional’ but a core element of the overall service. All academic disciplines and professional use inclusive practices, and learning sessions and assessments are designed with this in mind. Students with a disability can contact the CampusCentral Office to receive information in an alternative format. For example, sections of the handbooks can be supplied in a word document with enlarged type – sent by email or supplied on a memory stick.

Assessment and Results

You will be assessed by various methods throughout your programme of study. Some modules are assessed by coursework only (oral or/and written), some by examination and some by a mixed assessment scheme. Details of assessment tasks along with the grading scheme and requirements for submission of work are given in your Module Handbook and/or the Programme Handbook. Further details are available online via the MyMDX Student Portal at http://mymdx.mdx.ac.uk/

Many modules require all assessment components to be passed. At the beginning of each module, you should ensure that you have a written statement of the assessment requirements from the tutor, in the Module Handbook. Some modules have specific attendance requirements, which are generally 75% for all scheduled sessions but maybe 100% in some cases and are necessary to complete the module (see information on ‘Attendance’ in this section).

Final examination periods are held at the end of the academic year after the end of the teaching period. You can find this information in the ‘Academic Calendar’. The final exam timetable will be published on University notice-boards and electronically on the Student Portal section at http://www.mdx.ac.ae/life-at-university/current-students/examinations/examination-timetables.

You will get feedback on your performance in your assessed work. You may see your tutor about feedback on your coursework.

If you are unable to submit a coursework by its due date or attend a scheduled final or re-sit examination, you should contact the CampusCentral as soon as possible to apply for a deferral. For an explanation, see ‘Deferral of Assessment’ in this section.

Coursework

Most modules will require that you complete an amount of coursework as part of your assessment. Types of coursework include:

• Written coursework: essays, exercises, laboratory logbooks, projects, dissertations, portfolios of written work, in-class tests, etc.
• Other coursework: presentations, viva voces, performances, exhibitions etc.

Handing in coursework

Module tutors will publish deadlines for submission of coursework within the Module Handbook. The University’s policy normally requires students to submit coursework online (via Turnitin on MyMDX). The only exceptions are pieces of coursework with specific formats such as art work, models, and large portfolios, where alternative arrangements will be made which will be set out in your Module Handbook. The CampusCentral is the central place for handing in all coursework that is not submitted electronically.

Do not give coursework for assessment directly to your tutor - coursework will not be accepted by your tutors when submitted via e-mail or in person. Coursework submitted to the CampusCentral will be dated and receipted. You should keep your receipt - it is for your own protection.

A ‘Cover Sheet for Coursework Submission’ form must be filled at the CampusCentral when submitting coursework and students will be given a receipt of submission. The following information must be CLEARLY PRINTED on the front cover sheet of the coursework:

• Student Name and MISIS Number
• Module Number and Module Name
• Module Coordinator’s Name

You must take a copy of all your work (via photocopying or on personal data storage devices, etc.) prior to submission. Students must retain a copy of all their submissions till the end of their study period in the University.

Deadlines

It is important to meet deadlines for submitting written coursework. These will be laid down by module tutors no later than at the time the work is set. Sometimes deadlines from different modules will come at the same time, and it is important to plan your workload to meet these deadlines.

Students are required to submit all coursework electronically. Please keep in mind the submission deadlines and the time difference between the UK & UAE when submitting electronically. For submissions that must be handed over to the CampusCentral, these must be done no later than 4:30 pm for all foundation and undergraduate modules, and no later than 6:30 pm for all postgraduate modules. These timings will vary during the Holy Month of Ramadan, please check the website.

The module handbook may offer guidelines in the case of late submissions – usually missing the deadline results in coursework not being accepted for grading and failure of that assessment component.

Deferral of assessment

If you have exceptional circumstances that prevent you from meeting an assessment (e.g. coursework, presentation) deadline/attending an examination, you may be entitled to a short extension or deferral of assessment.

A deferral of assessment is the postponement of the date you are due to submit an assessment or sit an examination until the next opportunity and without penalty.

For information on how to make a claim, please refer to Extenuating Circumstances.

Examinations

There are several assessment periods during the academic year.

Autumn/September start students:

Winter/January start students:

Where assessment or reassessment is deferred, this will normally be to the next assessment opportunity, either in July or in April/May of the following year.

Final timetables for the main examinations will be made available online at http://www.mdx.ac.ae/life-at-university/current-students/examinations/examination-timetables about one month before the examination period. Check regularly for updates! The timetables are based on your current module registrations: keep your registration record up to date to avoid an examination clash.

Students who need Disability Support and special facilities to take examinations should contact the CampusCentral to make the proper arrangements at least six weeks before the start of the examination period.

In the event of an examination timetable clash, it is the responsibility of the student to make this clash known to the Assessment Officer and to follow the instructions given to them by the Assessment Officer in relation to the clash (including supervision in the period between examinations). Failure to comply with these instructions may be regarded as a contravention of examination room rules.

Overview of Examination Regulations

If your programme assessment components include an in-person examination, it is mandatory that you bring your Middlesex Student ID Card with you,

Candidates are warned that any breach of examination room rules will result in severe penalties, including the risk of expulsion from the University, and/or that the Assessment Board may deem the candidate to have failed an assessment or series of assessments. For details, see university regulations - Section K: Examination room rules for candidates http://www.mdx.ac.uk/about-us/policies/university-regulations

Students who fail to attend an examination without good cause will be failed in the module with a grade 20, should the required learning outcomes not be met, subject to any other regulations covering deferral of assessment in the module (see Deferral of Assessment).

Section F, K and Section L of the University Regulations, see http://www.mdx.ac.uk/about-us/policies/university-regulations

• You must be on time for all examinations.
• You must not become involved in any unfair or dishonest practice in any part of the examination.
• If you attempt to use unfair practice, or break the rules in any way, you will be reported to Academic Registry for investigation of academic misconduct.
• You may take into the examination room only the materials and equipment which are allowed. You must not take into the examination room any unauthorised materials or equipment which might give you an unfair advantage such as notes, calculator cases/instruction leaflets, bags, personal TV’s/stereos, electronic or radio communication devices, including mobile telephones, tablet computers, smart watches, iPods and MP3 players. Possession of unauthorised material is breaking the rules, even if you do not intend to use it, and you will be subject to penalty.
• If you leave unsupervised before the end of the examination, you will not be allowed to return.
• Do not read the question paper until instructed to do so by the invigilator
• Please read the front cover FIRST to ensure that you have the correct exam paper in front of you.
• Coats and bags must be deposited as instructed by the Invigilator.
• All mobile phones must be switched off and placed under your desk.
• All personal belongings should be left under your desk.
• You must place your student ID card on the desk.
• You may not leave the examination room within thirty minutes from the start of the examination, nor during the last ten minutes. If you wish to leave before the last 10 minutes, you should raise your hand to notify the Invigilator and hand your work in. Having once left the room, you will not be readmitted without the permission of the Invigilator.
• Visits to the toilet are permitted after the first 30 minutes but will be accompanied by an Invigilator.
• You will not be allowed to leave the exam room or use your mobile phone to extend your parking ticket. Any car parking tickets should be renewed before entering the exam room.
• In the event of the hall being evacuated, you are reminded that examinations conditions will apply and you should NOT speak to another student.

Headphones in exams

The use of headphones or any electronic devices in exams is prohibited. Please note that, before sitting an exam, you may be asked to remove any headwear which conceals your ears to enable checking. This is done to ensure that no concealed headphones or other electronic devices will be used during an exam. Female students wearing any form of religious or cultural headwear which conceals your ears may ask that a female invigilator carry out the check in a separate room. You will be asked to momentarily remove your headwear to reveal your ears and face for the purposes of checking for headphones and for identity checking. Where a male student is asked to show that he has no concealed electronic equipment may request that this check is carried out by a male invigilator.

Smart watches in exams

Students found in possession of a smart watch will be required to place this in their bags. The use of any smart watch is prohibited in any exam. All watches will have to be placed in the bag. There is a clock displayed in all exam venues.

Bring What You Need

• You may bring pens, pencils, erasers and any permitted equipment you need for the examination. You will not be allowed to borrow items from another student.
• All items needed for your exam are to be placed in a clear plastic bag or pencil case. Only transparent pencil cases are allowed on your desk.
• You may NOT take food/sweets or drink to your desk other than clear bottles of still water with NO label. If your bottle has a label, please remove it before the exam starts. If you have medical reasons that require you to have food or other types of drink, please advise an Invigilator before the start of the exam.

Calculators, Dictionaries and Computer Spell-checkers

You may not use a calculator unless the exam paper expressly says that you can. If you have permission to use a calculator:

• make sure it works properly, and that any batteries required are working;
• clear anything stored in it;
• remove any parts such as cases, lids or covers which have printed instructions or formulas;
• do not bring into the examination room any operating instructions or prepared programs.
• You must not use a dictionary
• If it has been assessed by the Disability Support Service that you are permitted to use a PC in your exam, you are not permitted to use the computer spell-checker unless you are told that you may do so.

Understanding Examination Instructions

• Listen to the Invigilator and do what you are asked to do.
• Tell the Invigilator at once:

- If you think you have not been given the right question paper or all the materials listed on the front of the paper;

- If the question paper is incomplete or badly printed.

• Read and carefully follow the instructions on the front of the question paper and/or the answer booklet before you start the examination.
• Complete the attendance slip and the front of your answer booklet
• Do your rough work only on the proper examination stationery Cross it through and hand it in with your answers. If you annotate the question paper in any way, this will also have to be handed in.
• The following practices are STRICTLY FORBIDDEN. All instances WILL BE REPORTED:

- Failure to comply with the Invigilators instructions.

- Being in possession of any unauthorised information, either written or printed.

- Bringing into the examination room any books, notes, writing paper, blotting paper, mathematical tables or machines, other than those specifically allowed for this examination.

- Any such item must be handed to the Invigilator before the exam begins.

- Borrowing anything from another Student during the examination.

- Attempting to read the work of another student

- Communicating with or disturbing other students once the examination has started.

- Occupying a desk other than that assigned to you except by permission of the Invigilator.

Further Advice and Assistance for Examinations

• If on the day of the examination you feel that your work may be affected by ill health or any other reason, inform the CampusCentral by filling the Extenuating Circumstances form (see Special Consideration for Extenuating Circumstances).
• Put up your hand during the examination if:

- you have a problem and are in doubt about what you should do;

- you feel ill;

- you need more paper

• You must not ask for, and will not be given, any explanation of the questions.

At the end of the Examination

• If you have used more than one answer booklet and/or any loose sheets of paper, you must place them in the correct order. Fasten them together with a treasury tag before you leave. Ensure that your student ID is written on all extra pages/booklets.
• You must not leave the examination room until the invigilator tells you to do so.
• You must not take from the examination room any examination stationery, used or unused, rough work or any other materials provided for the examination.

Grading System

The University uses a 1-20 grading scale with 1 being the highest mark. Full details are available at www.mdx.ac.uk/regulations with further information on assessment and grading at http://mymdx.mdx.ac.uk/

Level 4 modules (1^st year of an Honours degree), which do not contribute to the final classification may be awarded a Y grade (ungraded pass). The numerical grades are detailed on the table below.

The 20-Point Scale

*compensation is granted only at the discretion of the Programme Progression Board or School Assessment Board. Some modules, especially those integrated in programmes linked to professional qualifications and accredited by professional bodies, may be non-compensatable. Please refer to the programme handbook for details.

In addition, the following administrative grades are used: http://mymdx.mdx.ac.uk/

Administrative grades may sometimes be added to a numerical grade either to indicate any additional action that needs to be taken by the student regarding further assessment or to confirm a decision taken by a first or second tier Board.

Publication of Module Results

At the end of each academic year, Module Grades or Module Results are determined in two stages:

• Subject Assessment Boards –Teaching staff in conjunction with external examination assessors.
• Programme Progression Boards (non-finalists - to determine progression on programme), or School Assessment Boards (finalists - to determine final awards).

Following these Boards, individual results and your progression status will be released after the point, and will be made available in the My Study area on MyMDX: https://mymdx.mdx.ac.uk/. For specific dates, please refer to the Academic Calendar.

Whenever you receive any grades or feedback during the course of the academic year, you need to remember that these will be PROVISIONAL and can change after moderation and external examiners’ review.

If you experience any problems with accessing your results, you should contact the CampusCentral. Note that the CampusCentral is not able to provide results over the telephone or assist students with ‘Financial Holds’ on their student records until financial dues are cleared at the Finance Office.

The University also relays your current status to the local authorities, where applicable.

Viewing Graded Examination Scripts

In the case of in-person examinations, the CampusCentral schedules ‘viewing days’ where students can register to review their exam scripts once the Dubai campus has received them from the UK. Application forms are available at the CampusCentral.

It is the student’s responsibility to regularly check the website for viewing dates. Contact the CampusCentral for more information.

Re-assessment

If you do not pass the module at the first attempt, you are eligible for re-assessment once. You will find the following grades on the My Study page of MyMDX: http://mymdx.mdx.ac.uk website:

A date will also be added alongside these codes showing when the assessment should take place. Re-assessment must take place at the next available opportunity for assessment. An administration fee of AED 525 is charged per module for re-sits.

Deadlines for re-sit coursework will be announced by the module tutor (via MyMDX or via email) and will normally be on or before the deadlines mentioned in the academic calendar. You may have to resubmit your coursework or complete a new assignment. Contact your module tutor for information about this. Details are also provided on MyMDX. The timetable for re-assessment exams is announced on the University website at https://www.mdx.ac.ae/life-at-university/current-students/examinations.

For modules at levels 3/4 the overall grade following re-assessment will be the grade achieved at the second attempt. For example:

1st attempt - grade 17

2nd attempt - grade 12

Overall module grade 12

This will be shown on the transcript as 12(17/12).

For modules at level 5 and above, a maximum grade of 16 will be applied to the re-assessed component. For example:

If you do not pass the re-assessment, you will not be able to acquire the academic credit connected to it. At the discretion of an Assessment Board, you may be given permission to repeat a failed module, only once.

Re-assessment of deferred assessment will normally be undertaken either in April/May or in July/August. If the re-assessment or deferred assessment cannot, for good reason, be taken at the next available opportunity, it may be further deferred until the next available opportunity. This must be requested in writing to the Assessment Officer. Unless deferral of re-assessment is approved by the Assessment Officer, you will be failed with a grade 20 if you fail to submit coursework or fail to attend an examination at the next available opportunity for re-assessment.

Progression

Every year Programme Progression Boards meet to decide whether you have passed sufficient credits to continue on your chosen programme of study. In order to proceed from one stage to another, a student must pass the required number/level of credits or be allowed by a Programme Progression Board to proceed conditionally with a credit deficit, which the student must make up before completing his/her studies.

You may also be required to change your future modules choices and, in some cases, transfer to a different target qualification, if you have failed critical modules which are prerequisites to further study.

If you are not allowed to proceed, this will result in:

• moving from full-time to part-time study; or
• interrupting study until re-assessment or deferred assessment takes place, if you have failed vital modules; or
• having to leave the University; this will normally occur if you fail, after reassessment, more than one-third of the requirements for your proposed qualification.

The following table lists the progression codes that you may see on your student record on MyMDX and explains what action needs to be taken by you.

Extenuating Circumstances

There may be difficult circumstances in your life that affect your ability to meet an assessment deadline or affect your performance in an assessment. These are known as Extenuating Circumstances or ‘ECs’. Extenuating Circumstances are exceptional, seriously adverse and outside of your control; supporting evidence must be provided.

As a student it is your responsibility to let the University know about any extenuating circumstances that have affected your work. If you have extenuating circumstances, you can request:

· A short extension or a deferral of assessment to the next assessment period

· Your extenuating circumstances are noted (without specific details) for the board that makes your progression/finalist decision. This allows the board to make an informed progression/ finalist decision but will not change grades. Any decision is an outcome from the board and not an automatic entitlement

The outcome of any Extenuating Circumstances claim might be different from what has been requested.

Extenuating Circumstances can only be requested for summative assessment, not for formative assessment i.e. only for assessment that counts towards your overall module grade. Claims for extenuating circumstances are managed and considered in accordance with the Assessment Regulations (Section D8), for more details check https://www.mdx.ac.ae/about-us/university-regulations.

To obtain extenuating circumstances students must apply to the Assessment Officer in the CampusCentral in writing, completing the Extenuating Circumstances Request Form and submitting the relevant supporting documentation. The form is available at this link. Evidence must be supplied for the case to be considered. Students should be aware that discussing their application with a member of staff does not constitute a submission of an application for extenuating circumstances. Claims must be made before the deadline of submission, or if unable to do so, within 5 working days from the deadline of submission. If evidence is unavailable prior to the deadline the claim should still be made on time and include information about why the evidence is not available and when it will be. Late claims will be rejected unless the student can prove with evidence, a justifiable reason for late submission – ignorance is not a justifiable reason.

The evidence you need to provide to support your application for Extenuating Circumstances should normally be an official document, signed as appropriate, and should normally state the dates during which the circumstances applied.

Documentary evidence must be presented in English and where required; official translations must be provided by the student. It is not the responsibility of the University to translate any evidence provided by the student and any untranslated evidence may not be considered.

The University reserves the right to check the authenticity of all documentary evidence submitted in support of your application. Any student who submits documentation that is not authentic may be subject to the University disciplinary procedures.

See FAQs at https://mymdx.mdx.ac.uk/ for examples of acceptable evidence.

Your application for extenuating circumstances will only be considered if your circumstances meet the following criteria:

• The circumstances are exceptional, and seriously adverse
• They are outside of your control
• You have provided original supporting documentary evidence of the impact on your ability to perform in the assessment
• The circumstances relate directly to the timing of the assessment affected
• You have met the attendance requirements of the module (Deferrals may be overridden by an X grade)
• Normally, deferred assessment or reassessment will not be permitted beyond two years following commencement of study for the module

Please indicate type of request: short coursework extension, deferral or for ECs to be noted for the board. Processing of extenuating circumstances form may take more than 10 days and the student will be informed by e-mail once a decision has been made.

You must remember that there could be financial, progression as well as student visa implications as a result of deferring your assessment. Further information and advice can be obtained from the CampusCentral.

Recording of Lectures and Other Learning Activities

There is an increasing demand for the recording of lectures and other teaching and learning activities. This demand is being driven by both students and staff, introducing different modes of delivery to support their curriculum. Hence, it is possible that some of the sessions may be recorded at the discretion of your tutor. You will be informed about this by the staff member leading the session, prior to the start of the session.

The University operates an opt-in model for lecture recording where the decision to make a recording lies with the individual member of staff. It is accepted by the University that not all activities are suitable for recording. Lecture recordings are provided to supplement and enhance the student experience and should not be seen as an alternative to attending online or face-to-face lectures. Use of such recordings should only be for the students’ personal use concerning their studies. Any unauthorised distribution of such recordings, including sharing and posting on social media, will be considered a breach of the university computer usage policy and will be subject to disciplinary action.

As per section C16 of Middlesex University Regulations unauthorised audio recording, video recording or photography of lectures, or other forms of learning activities by students, is prohibited.

Limited recording by students may be permitted under exceptional circumstances only (for example, for an individual student as a “reasonable adjustment”, within the meaning of the UK’s Equalities Act), upon explicit permission provided by the tutor and, where appropriate, by everyone else involved. Permission for recording does not imply permission for publication (e.g., on Facebook, YouTube, or other social media), or distribution to others. Unauthorised recording of such activities violates the privacy of persons involved, may infringe on copyrights and intellectual property rights of others and can be intrusive and disruptive in a learning environment. In all cases, violation of this regulation will be managed under the student disciplinary procedures.

In addition to a violation of University Regulations, unauthorised recordings may expose students to other unintended consequences, as per UAE law. The United Arab Emirates has several laws (for example, Federal Law No. 5 of 2012 on Combatting Cybercrimes and its amendment by the Federal Law No. 12 of 2016) for the protection of privacy and reputation and defamation. Some of the acts that could amount to a criminal offence are:

• possessing on an electronic device a photo taken without the subject’s consent
• posting other people's pictures or videos online or on social media (including WhatsApp) without their consent
• tagging a person without their consent
• threatening or insulting people online
• spreading information via social media, that is not verified by the official sources
• gossiping about people or maligning them.

Further guidance is available within the University Regulations and via the Quality Office ([email protected]).

Academic Integrity and Misconduct

Academic Integrity

Academic Integrity is a quality that demonstrates values such as honesty, fairness and respect for others and their work. Academic integrity is evident by the behaviours we exhibit.

In order to demonstrate academic integrity, you must be able to demonstrate for example originality (independent thinking) and criticality (critical thinking), which you will be supported to develop whilst you complete your studies.

You will demonstrate academic integrity by producing your own work, clearly acknowledging any material that has been included from other sources or through collaboration.

Students must also present their own findings, conclusions or data based on appropriate and ethical practice.

Throughout your studies you will be expected to use many different types of information to enhance your own knowledge and understanding of the subject you are studying. When you use an idea or information from another source, e.g., from a book, journal, film, image or sound recording, etc. you must acknowledge where you got this information. Acknowledging the work of other people in your own work is referencing. When used correctly referencing gets you better marks because it:

• Adds weight to your discussion and arguments
• Demonstrates you understand the key issues in your subject
• Shows your ability to evaluate and critically apply this understanding to your work
• Evidence that you have been reading around your subject
• Enables others to find your references easily.

Academic Misconduct

Academic Misconduct is a breach of the values of academic integrity and can occur when a student cheats in an assessment or attempts to deliberately mislead an examiner that the work presented is their own when it is not. It includes, but is not limited to, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, commissioning or buying work from a third party or copying the work of others, breach of examination rules, collusion etc.

Academic misconduct is a corrosive force in the academic life of the University; it jeopardises the quality of education and devalues the degrees and qualifications of the University. Some types of academic misconduct are as follows:

a) Plagiarism

Plagiarism means using the work of another person and claiming it as your own. It is a form of cheating, and you will hear the word a lot whilst you are at university because it is a serious academic offence that can result in disciplinary action. Copying other students work, or basing your assignments on materials where you do not acknowledge the source (i.e., the book, journal article or internet site), is treated as a severe academic misconduct.

Often it is an innocent mistake; a misunderstanding about what constitutes plagiarism or incorrect referencing. Sometimes, however, students are caught just plain cheating. Whether you deliberately cheated or accidently failed to properly acknowledge the work of another, the penalty is the same. The University has sophisticated technology that will catch plagiarised work, so by doing it you may seriously affect the outcome of your degree.

Some types of Plagiarism:

• Using someone else’s ideas without acknowledging that they aren’t your own.
• Composing a paragraph by joining together sentences from a number of sources and not acknowledging them in the text.
• Copying or re-wording someone else's work without using quotation marks or referencing them.
• Using other people's words, writing, diagrams or pictures as if they were your own.
• Copying work from another student – even with permission from that person.
• Using your own previous work in another assignment without acknowledging it.
• Failure to reference appropriately or to adequately identify the source of material used.

b) Self-plagiarism

Self-plagiarism is when a student submits the same piece of work, or substantial part thereof, for assessment more than once for graded credit. It will be regarded as Self-plagiarism unless the original piece of work is appropriately referenced.

c) Purchasing or commissioning

Purchasing or commissioning is either attempting to purchase or purchasing work for an assessment including, for example from the internet, or attempting to commission, or commissioning someone else to complete an assessment. For courses at all levels, the commissioning of proof-reading where this substantially alters the content of the original work, whether this is from a commercial provider or a personal contact, falls under this definition and is considered academic misconduct.

d) Collusion

Collusion occurs when, unless with official approval (e.g., in the case of group projects), two or more students consciously collaborate in the preparation and production of work which is ultimately submitted by each in an identical or substantially similar form and/or is represented by each to be the product of his or her individual efforts. Examinations and online timed assessments that contain similar work will be referred as collusion. Collusion also occurs where there is unauthorised cooperation between a student and another person in the preparation and production of work which is presented as the student’s own.

Collusion can also be the act of one student presenting a piece of work as their own independent work when the work was undertaken by a group. With group work, where individual members submit parts of the total assignment, each member of a group must take responsibility for checking the legitimacy of the work submitted in his/her name. If even part of the work is found to contain academic misconduct, penalties will normally be imposed on all group members equally.

e) Dishonest Use of Data

Fabricating or falsifying data means to include presenting work that has not taken place. This includes laboratory reports or projects based on experimental or field work. It may also include falsifying attendance sheets for placements where this is part of the assessment requirements.

f) Cheating in examinations or tests

Breaching the Examination Room Rules for Candidates (Section K of University Regulations). This includes assessments that are taken ‘in-class’, on-line or any other form of summative examination.

g) Minor Errors

Minor errors arise when a student has attempted to adopt academically acceptable practices but has failed to do so accurately or fully. Examples include forgetting to insert quotation marks, minor mistakes in referencing or citation, gaps in the bibliography or reference list, non- compliance with some aspects of presentation guidelines.

h) Requirement for Ethical Approval

Failure to gain ethical approval may result in failure of the work. Refer to the programme and/or module handbook for details regarding requirements for ethical approval.

How to avoid academic misconduct

To avoid plagiarism, you must acknowledge the source of all words, research, theories, ideas and insights that inform your work by using quotation marks and accurate citations. Information on the correct way of referencing and acknowledging work from other sources is available on the Your Study pages on MyMDX: https://mymdx.mdx.ac.uk/. For help with referencing, please see the guidance material in the Library, consult your tutor or make an appointment with a member of the Centre for Academic Success (CAS) team.

You should always date, print out and keep drafts of your work to prove that it was created by you. If you do not keep a paper trail somebody could copy your work, submit it, and then claim that you stole it from them!

You should never resort to paying somebody to proof-read or correct your written work. This is cheating and you can get better help for free through CAS (email: [email protected]).

If caught for plagiarism, it is likely that you will have to repeat the module with a maximum grade of 16. You might also be dismissed from your programme altogether.

Middlesex takes plagiarism very seriously and students may be expelled if found guilty of this form of academic misconduct.

Further details are available in your Programme Handbook and University Regulations, see https://www.mdx.ac.ae/about-us/university-regulations.

If you find that there is an allegation of Academic Misconduct (Plagiarism) on coursework that you have submitted for assessment, you should refer to the ‘Student Notes for Guidance for allegations of Academic Misconduct’ which are provided under the ‘Rules and Regulations’ section. Refer to https://www.mdx.ac.ae/about-us/university-regulations.

Academic Integrity Awareness Course

The University has developed a new online Academic Integrity Awareness Course to help support you. It’s called Student Success Essentials. More information can be found on the following link: https://mymdx.mdx.ac.uk/

You can find this resource logging into MyMDX and then going to My Learning. You will find the course under ‘My courses’.The course is designed to:

• identify your strengths and areas of development
• be aware of positive behaviours and academic expectations
• recognise the challenges when you study and the consequences of not following University rules and regulations
• find the support you need for your own development

Viva Voces

If you submit a piece of work that is unexplainably different in quality from your other coursework or one that has improved extraordinarily over a matter of weeks, then be aware that the Assessment Board is entitled to ask you to come in and sit an oral exam (viva voce) – see Section C6 of the University Regulations.

Using References and Citation

Citation means that whenever you have used someone else’s ideas, or quoted someone else, you point out where you found that information. At Middlesex University, students are expected to use ‘Cite Them Right Online’ as their referencing guide, see: https://www.mdx.ac.ae/cas/cite-them-right-grammarly

There are several different ways to reference and cite other people’s work.

Your Programme and Module Handbooks will provide you with further details of the referencing style your tutors want you to use.

A word of caution to all students about using online tools for referencing: there are many free (and paid) reference generating tools online that can be used to generate citations and bibliographies. Please be mindful of using these, however, as they may not comply fully with the University’s guidelines for referencing. If you use such a tool, it is your responsibility to ensure that it complies fully with the referencing conventions laid out by ‘Cite Them Right Online’.