PACE - HANDBOOK

PACE HANDBOOK

Handbook:

Los Angeles Harbor College

Program for Accelerated College Education (PACE)

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the L.A. Harbor College PACE (Program for Accelerated College Education) Program. PACE can be an effective way for you to meet your individual educational and professional advancement goals. PACE is designed with working adults in mind. The majority of your classmates work 40 hours per week and many have extensive family obligations as well. You are part of a group of people who have decided for personal or professional reasons that they need a college education. PACE is one place where you can get a quality college education in a convenient package.

PACE students normally sign up for four courses in the regular 18-week semester. However, PACE classes are structured so that two courses are completed in each of two consecutive nine week segments of a semester. Thus, in the first nine weeks of a semester, two instructors will teach you their two courses. At the end of that nine-week period, you will turn in the required written work and take the final exams for those two courses. The next week you will return to your regular classroom at the regular (6-10 p.m.) time and two new instructors will be there to teach you their two courses for the next nine weeks.

With this schedule, it is possible to complete 12 units of transferrable college work each semester. In the course of the five semester (two and one-half year) PACE sequence, you can complete 61 units, satisfy the requirements to earn an Associate in Arts degree and satisfy all of the General Education and unit transfer requirements necessary to transfer to the California State Universities. In the process, you will also be preparing yourself for successful transfer to a number of local private university upper division programs for working adults.

PACE is prearranged courses of study in which each semester is a package organized around a theme. The programmed sequence of semesters organized around a series of themes seems to help students in accelerated learning. Learning goals are kept visible and attainable.

Because PACE academic standards are high, we attempt to make student life in PACE as accommodating as possible without compromising the program's quality and integrity. We want quality and rigor in PACE because we believe you deserve nothing less. When you have completed the PACE program, we want you to be fully prepared to transfer to a university, complete coursework there for your Bachelor's degree and, for many (more of you than you probably believe right now) go on for your Master's and Doctoral degrees.

THE PACE SEMESTER SCHEDULE

In order for you to complete six units of credit each "nine-week PACE semester" you must receive a required amount of instruction--approximately 50 hours--for each of the two courses in which you are enrolled. During each nine-week segment of instruction, (a PACE "semester"), these hours of instructional time break down as follows:

One evening each week, you must be in class with your instructors for four hours; two hours are devoted to one course and two to the other. Over nine weeks, you therefore receive 18 hours of instruction in each course. Each week you are required to watch two hours of instructional television; your mastery of this segment of the program will affect your course grades. Over nine weeks you therefore receive 18 hours of TV instruction; these hours apply to each course.

During each nine-week segment, there are usually three to five 10-hour instructional Saturdays during which approximately five hours of instruction will be devoted to each of the two courses. Over nine weeks you therefore receive at least 15 hours of Saturday conferences instructional time for each course.

In this way, you will receive at least 50 hours of instructional time, over a nine-week period, for each course in which you enroll. For transfer and accreditation purposes, each three unit course must have at least 48 hours devoted to it.

Given the pace of our instructional schedule in which you receive in nine weeks the same amount of instruction and the same number of units for each course that a day student receives in eighteen weeks, your regular attendance at evening classes and Saturday conferences is required, and your ability to manage your time effectively is crucial to your success.

ATTENDANCE

You are required to attend each weekly evening lecture, to view and master the contents of the instructional television component, and to attend each Saturday conference. Failure to do so will make it impossible for you to participate successfully in PACE. There are penalties if you do not comply with these requirements. Therefore, if for some reason you cannot attend class on your regularly scheduled evening, you must attend on one of the other one or two evenings. We ask; however, that you exercise this option sparingly. Classrooms can accommodate only so many students, and your fellow students and the instructors face logistical problems if large numbers of students unexpectedly show up at a lecture. If you need to make a change from your regular class schedule, be sure that your instructors know when you are attending.

If you must, you may miss one evening of instruction in a PACE nine week "semester" without penalty. If you miss two evenings in a nine-week segment, you have two options. You may either be dropped one full grade in each of the two courses, or you may write an extra-assignment paper on a topic jointly selected by your two instructors of record. If your evening absences, for any nine week segment, exceed these limits, your instructors may drop you from the courses.

Similarly, if you miss one instructional Saturday in a nine week segment, there again are two options. You can either be dropped one full grade in each of the two courses, or you can make up any assignments you missed that day and write up an extra-assignment paper on a topic jointly selected by your instructors of record. Note, however, that some testing will likely take place on Saturdays; some instructors do not give make-up exams.

If you miss two Saturday conferences in a nine-week segment, your instructors may drop you from the courses. Note that Saturday conference attendance and evening class attendance are two separate requirements, and that penalties are based on each nine-week segment, not the eighteen-week semester.

Finally, if you decide to drop a course (or drop out of the program), it is your responsibility to take care of this matter in the Admissions Office. If you do not drop a class which you have stopped attending, you may receive an "F" grade in that course at the end of the semester. The latest drop dates are included in the Spring Semester Calendar in this booklet.

COURSE SYLLABI AND REQUIREMENTS

For each class, each student will receive a course syllabus during the first week of class. The syllabus will contain information about the nature of the course, the assignment, the specific requirements relevant to the class, and the grading system. Be sure you understand the quantity and the nature of the assignments and requirements. The instructor will discuss these aspects, usually at the first class meeting.

FOSTERING AND MAINTAINING A GOOD LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IN PACE

Because PACE students are adults, we try to treat you as adults and expect you to act accordingly in terms of our responsibilities toward you and yours toward us and the program. The PACE faculty and staff and the vast majority of students in the program view education as very serious business; therefore we attempt to maintain an appropriate environment in the classroom and in our interactions toward everyone associated with PACE and our college.

We neither expect nor demand that you sit humbly and quietly for four hours on a class night and for eight hours on an instructional Saturday. We fully recognize your need to share a thought with or ask a question of a classmate during a lecture. Please do so quietly and inconspicuously however, so as to not disturb your classmates and the instructor.

Classroom behavior which is disruptive to fostering and maintaining an effective learning environment in PACE will not be tolerated. For example, entering class late or leaving early, casually chatting with neighbors, eating, smoking, or any form of rudeness interfering with the learning process is simply not accepted in PACE.

If you violate these policy guidelines, you will first be cautioned. If you continue to be disruptive, you will be told to leave the classroom and you will be marked absent for the entire class session, at least resulting in your having to make up work as though you were not present. Persistently disruptive behavior will result in further appropriate disciplinary steps. We do not expect to have to apply these sanctions; however, we will if we must.

READING/WRITING/STUDYING

The bulk of the assignments in PACE courses will be reading. You can expect a minimum reading load to be one chapter per week ineach textbook for each class. There may also be supplemental reading assigned from other texts or from magazines or journals.

Writing is an important component of the PACE program. With the possible exception of the Statistics and Biology courses which require extensive homework, students in PACE classes can expect to have writing assignments at least equivalent to a six-page term paper for each course that they have in a semester. English courses typically have more writing required, up to six separate written essays/papers in English 101. The development of superior written communication skills is one of the chief goals of the PACE Program.

Good study habits and time management are of extreme importance for success in PACE. Develop a regular pattern of study time and place, as free of distractions as you can manage. Study in "bouts" of perhaps 30 to 50 minutes each, with a 5 or 10 minute break between to give yourself a rest to prepare for the next study bout. Studying and reviewing as a member of a regular study group has turned out to be very productive for a large number of PACE students. Not only do study groups help with schoolwork, but they often provide considerable personal support as well.

SCHEDULING YOUR TIME WHILE IN PACE

Expect your instructors to supply you with course syllabi at the beginning of their courses. These syllabi should provide you with specific information as to what is required of you in the course, what assessment methods are used and how the various assessments apply in your classes and contribute to your final course grade.

Scheduling is the key to succeeding in PACE. While you have committed yourself to gaining a higher education by entering the program, it will become necessary that you gain the support of your family, friends, and your colleagues at work in order to accomplish your goals. You have to learn to balance family, work and school while maintaining the all-important "quality time" component of your life. Be assured that the balance can be struck, as can be attested to by the thousands of PACE graduates who have preceded you.

How you organize and use your time out of class for studying is one of the key components that contribute immensely to your success in PACE. As a rule of thumb, the experience of former PACE students indicates that for each three unit class in which you are enrolled, you should devote a minimum of three to six hours of study time each week. The time will vary from week to week, depending upon due dates for assignments and other coursework.

Study time should be used for reading and learning the text and related course materials so that you will be able to master class assignments. You will need to allocate additional time for the instructional television requirement. Added to the study and instructional television hours will be time to plan, draft, revise, and produce essays, papers, speeches, and other projects for your classes.

TEAMWORK AND PACE

One of the most outstanding aspects of our PACE Program is its organization of work and study teams. The faculty and staff of PACE are organized as a team and students are often organized in teams during Saturday conferences. Further, PACE student study teams are one of the major sources of PACE Program student success.

THE PACE STAFF TEAM

The PACE staff is normally comprised of eight faculty, a director, a dean and part-time student worker. The director and most of the faculty have offices in BRC 31. Instructors who have other offices on campus will indicate their locations on their syllabi.

The PACE director holds office hours from 1pm to 8pm on Tues. and Thurs., 9:30am to 8 pm on Wednesday and 9:30am to 4pm on Fridays. Faculty office hours are normally from 5 to 6 pm on 10 Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. These hours are intended to make us available to students at times convenient to them. It is at these times that assignments can be explained, questions answered, or students can just interact with instructors. You are welcome to just drop by.

All members of the faculty meet with the director on Tuesdays between the hours of 3:30 and 5:30 p.m.; Track I faculty from 3:30 to 4:30 and Track II faculty from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. During these meetings, we discuss the previous week of instruction, the upcoming weeks and plan Saturday conferences. Grading policies, work assignments and administration and curricular concerns are also addressed in these meetings. The Saturday conferences are planned and run by the faculty and director as team projects.

There are few programs anywhere in which the staff spends the quantity of time, highlighted by the quality of professional interactions, that we have in the L.A. Harbor College PACE Program. This intense level of contact provides an excellent basis for the bonding and support which we find among PACE staff and which is reflected toward and among our students.

In addition to interaction with the Harbor College staff and the program's students, the PACE Director maintains contact with the seven other PACE programs in the Los Angeles Community College District and with the national consortium. By so doing, there is on-going verification of the high quality of the L.A. Harbor PACE Program.

STUDENT STUDY TEAMS

The original student study teams in PACE evolved as a result of student needs and were organized through individual student initiative. We have found that the best study teams are still organized by students on their own initiative. These study teams have come to be one of the great strengths of PACE and an integral part of the program. The faculty works in teams to organize and run PACE and students soon appreciate the value of their own teams as a means of coping with the work load and accelerated mode of instruction of PACE.

Students set up or join study teams on their own, usually based on where they work or live and their schedules. Study teams should be neither too small nor too large. The best size seems to be somewhere between three and six or seven members. A typical team will meet more-or-less regularly, depending on need. For example, when the Speech class is being offered, team members may help organize and critique a speech or they may help edit essays written for an English class.

Study teams also form the basis of non-academic support. Because students usually become members of a team during their first semester in PACE, they spend a great deal of time with the same classmates throughout their five semesters in the program. As a team member graduates, new students may be recruited into a team in order to assure continuity. Study team members often collaborate with one another regarding information about assignments, course requirements, and the ways they have managed to cope with the intensity of PACE. The personal and academic support provided through participation in PACE student teams promote success within and completion of the PACE program.

If you were in a "regular" class at Harbor College, you could anticipate having to study on your own or, if you were lucky enough to know any classmates, with one or two of them. As a PACE student, you can be part of or help establish a study group that will stay with you through-out your PACE career at Harbor.

When it is time to prepare for that mid-term exam, your PACE study team can divide the responsibilities equitably so that each member can prepare study materials on a specific part of the course material for the rest of the study group. For example, each team member could provide a study outline for certain chapters and for relevant parts of lectures. In this way, a team can provide all of its members with detailed study notes on all of the mid-term materials, and you can be prepared to learn what is most important when you set out to study on your own.

SUMMATION

The "team concept" is an integral part of the success of our PACE program. Whether it comes from or is shared through the students or the staff, the quality of support that is derived from all of us working toward the common goals of academic quality and success makes clear why PACE has been so effective for so many people since 1981- - - a legacy we at L.A. Harbor College fully intend to continue.

PACE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM - - - TESTS AND WRITTEN PAPERS

As in any college-level course of instruction, assessment of student competence, in the form of tests of course content and written papers and/or homework are extremely important. For each course in which you are enrolled, you should plan to use your time wisely to prepare for this sort of assessment. For each of your courses, you will need to prepare for quizzes, tests and final examinations in which your mastery of material is assessed. These tests may be objective - - - such as multiple choice, or subjective - - - such as essay. Your instructors will provide you with sufficient lead time to prepare for these tests.

In addition, for each of your courses, with the possible exceptions of Statistics and Biology classes, (lots of homework), you will be required to write one or two college-level papers on topics assigned by your instructors. These papers will vary in length, but will average three to eight pages each. Therefore, during each nine-week segment you will have tests to prepare for and at least one or two papers to write for each course.

Your instructors will provide you with written information as to how the various assessment devices -- tests, homework, papers-- contribute to your final grade. This information is usually provided in the syllabus at the beginning of the course.

FINANCIAL AID

There is scholarship, loan and grant information available in the college Financial Aid Office in AD 131, tel. (310) 522-8313 or 522-8314. Information on fee deferrals and veterans benefits is also available in that office. Information on a limited number of financial aid programs with particular applicability to PACE-type students is available in the PACE office.

THE L.A. HARBOR COLLEGE HONORS PROGRAM AND PACE

The L.A. Harbor College Honors Program was established to provide additional educational opportunities for academically qualified students. If you are eligible for or have already completed English 101, and if you have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0, you may be eligible for the L.A. Harbor College Honors Program. Participation in the Honors program can significantly improve student transfer success to schools such as U.C.L.A. or U.S.C.

Many PACE courses may be taken under the Honors Program. The Honors Program and the instructor of record determine whether the course falls within the program guidelines. If it does, the instructor and student will establish an "Honors Contract" which specifies the quantity and quality of work over and above regular coursework that would qualify the student for "Contract Honors" credit in that course.

It is strongly recommended that PACE students not attempt any Honors classes during their first semester. Veteran PACE students and the faculty and staff have found that the workload is quite enough without taking on the additional burdens of an Honors contract in that first semester.

the PACE Director at (310) 522-8315 or email him at Mr. King Carter for further information.

Each semester a list is published containing the names of students who have completed 12 or more units of graded classes (credit/no-credit is not included) during the preceding semester with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 or better. Part-time students may also receive recognition through the Part-time Students Deans List which honors students who have achieved a 3.5 or greater GPA in six to eleven units. Students who have achieved a GPA of 3.7 or higher for all college work attempted are eligible for the President's Distinguished Honor Award upon graduation. For further information about the Dean's List, contact the Admissions and Records Office.

Each semester, PACE students, faculty and staff are invited to donate money to the L.A. Harbor College PACE Foundation Fund which was established in 1990 by former PACE student Ila Gutzman's contribution in honor of her parents. This money has been used to provide two scholarships per year to graduating PACE students since 1992. We would like to be to continue this tradition and to be able to provide or replace equipment for the future. Even a small gift can make a difference. A number of former PACE students have made contributions since then. Please help continue the tradition.

When you have completed your studies in PACE, it will be time to graduate. Even if graduation from L.A. Harbor College is your present ultimate goal, it is worth remembering that there are several local university programs designed specifically to serve working adults. If you were to continue on in one of those programs, within 2 to 3 years you could be completing the requirements for your Bachelors degree. We here at Harbor will have striven to provide you with an outstanding education that will allow you to go on in the direction that you choose. Whether this is your first semester or your graduation semester, the most important consideration is that you meet periodically with a counselor who is familiar with PACE to identify your academic needs and continue to verify your progress. Don't be the PACE student who "suddenly discovers" that they are eligible to graduate when they first visit a counselor in their fourth semester in PACE. When it is time for you to graduate, you will need to file a Petition to Graduate. This form, available from the Admissions Office, allows Admissions and Records to verify your eligibility to graduate. You cannot graduate officially without filing this petition. The form should be filed during the semester in which you will graduate, according to the calendar schedule published in the Schedule of Classes and in the PACE student handbook for that semester. If you are planning to transfer to and continue your education in one of the California State Universities, then you should also file a petition to have your Associate in Arts degree certified as fulfilling all of the lower division general education requirements for transfer. This can save you from having problems with last minute changes in the general education requirements at the C.S.U. to which you are transferring. If your plans are to transfer to some other university, it would be good for you to talk to counselors in our Transfer Center and at the school you wish to attend.

Students are responsible for their own preparation for meeting the prerequisites for their courses. Counseling and placement tests are available to help you. The PACE Program requires, as a minimum, that students have the English skills necessary to make it possible to take and pass English 101. One English course offered in PACE has higher requirements. Expect extensive writing in PACE. The PACE minimum Math skills requirement is that students have at least the skills necessary to take and pass Math 115. There are two or three courses in PACE that require a higher level of Math skill. Exceptions to these skill requirements may be made in some semesters.

The most common placement for students taking the math assessment test or placing on other criteria is Math 115. This course is three levels below Statistics 1 that is offered in PACE. PACE students should plan to complete the prerequisite coursework for Statistics 1 on their own. Suggestions for dealing with the Math requirement are: to take Math during a Summer session and/or enroll in a Math class concurrently with PACE. As a reminder, Math 115 (Elementary Algebra) and Math 125 (Intermediate Algebra) are both 5 unit classes. The same course work may be completed more slowly by taking 113/114 (115) and 125a and 125b (125) when they are offered. The minimum Math requirement for graduation from L.A. Harbor College is Math 115 or higher; the minimum requirement for transfer to a CSU is a "200" level 0 Math course, as for example: Statistics 1 Elementary Statistics for the Social Sciences Math 225 Introductory Statistics Math 230 Math for Liberal Arts Students Math 235 and 236 Math Analysis for Business and Social Sciences Math 240 Trigonometry MATH 260 Pre-Calculus. The usual math course sequence is: Math 112 Math 112 Math 113 Math 115 or Engine Tech 49 Math 114 Math 125Math 125 (or 125a & b) "200" level Math course,"200" level Math course, including Statistics 1 including Statistics 1

In this booklet we have tried to offer you advice based upon our experience to help make your PACE tenure as valuable and enjoyable as possible. Again, we welcome you to the program and look forward to a mutually rewarding experience. In addition, Harbor College administrators, the PACE Director and the PACE faculty like to hear from students. We enjoy the talking with you and welcome your comments about PACE.

All programs and activities of the Los Angeles Community College District shall be operated in a manner which is free of discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, creed, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, age, handicap, or veteran status. (Reference: Board Rule 1202).

The Los Angeles Community College District and Los Angeles Harbor College have made every effort to make this handbook accurate and may, without notice, change general information, courses, or programs offered. The reasons for change may include student enrollment, levels of funding, or other issues decided by the District or College. The District and College also reserve the right to add to, change or cancel any rules, regulations, policies and procedures as required by law.

This course attempts to define culture and to survey the variety of human cultures at all levels of socio-cultural development from the small-scale, technologically simple cultures to the large-scale, technologically complex ones. Topics described and analyzed include social institu- tions such as kinship, marriage, family, religion, politics, language, and economics in a cross-cultural perspective.

A study is made of the historical development of art from the Renaissance period to the contemporary scene with emphasis on the cultural changes which influence the evolution of styles.

This course includes the major principles of biology; a general survey of plant and animal life processes; and an introduction to concepts of structure and function, heredity, reproduction, development, evolution and ecology. Field trips to the tide pools, desert and mountains are scheduled to enhance knowledge of the ecology of Southern California.

PRINCIPLES OF BUSINESS COMPUTER SYSTEMS 1 (3) (UC:CSU). Corequisite: Computer Information Systems 23, Bus. 60 or the ability to type by touch. This is an introduction to the principles of computer systems used in business and industry, and their impact on modern society. The use of word processing, spreadsheet, database, windows, and operating system software is introduced. (CIS 1 + 23 = CAN BUS 6)

PROGRAMMING LABRATORY (1) CSU RPT 3 (CR/NCR). Corequisite: One other Computer Information Systems Course. The laboratory course gives the student hands-on experience. Grading is credit/no credit.

ECONOMICS I: Principles of Economics 1 - Micro (3) - Offered on the Internet in the Fall Semester

ECONOMICS II: Principles of Economics 2 - Macro (3) - Offered on the Internet in the Spring Semester

This course is a survey of the development, functioning and significance of economic institutions in the American way of life. The course is designed for those students who desire to get an economic perspective without an intensive or technical investigation.

English 101 is a course in critical reading and prose writing designed to refine the student's skills in thinking logically, reading carefully and writing effectively. Stress is placed on the organization and composition of objective expository essays, including the research paper.

English 102 is designed to reinforce the critical reading and writing skills presented in English 101 through the study of fiction, poetry, and drama. Emphasized are the analysis, interpretation, and appreciation of literature.. Stress is placed on the organization and composition of critical essays, including the research paper.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE 2: The Human Environment: Biological Processes (3) (UC:CSU)

Basic biological processes by which living ecosystems exist are studied. Sample ecosystems are re-viewed, and the human impact on the natural environment is considered , as are remedial measures for undoing environ- mental damage.

This course explores physical fitness as related to cardio-pulmonary capacity, nutrition, stress and addictive substances. The course involves laboratory assessment of each student's fitness status, lecture and experiences in a variety of selected fitness activities. Based on these experiences, students are expected to develop individualized physical fitness programs.

This course is a study of the history of the social and political development of the United States from the Colonial era to 1876. Specialiale Special emphasis is given to the constitutional development of the nation. This course meets the California State University requirements for United States history and the United States Constitution.

II. This is the second semester course in United States history and covers the period from 1876 to the present time. This course meets California State University requirements for United States history and federal, state and local government.

This course is designed to introduce the student to the general concepts of humanities as especially evidenced in the ideas of applied aesthetics. Music, literature, painting, sculpture, architecture and other art forms are studied in relation to their background, medium, organization, and style.

This course is an introduction to music and musical masterpieces. They are presented through lectures, reports and recordings. The course is recommended for the general college student who wishes to improve his/her understanding of music.

This course introduces the student to the field of oceanography. Major topics to be studied include the formation and features of the sea floor, islands and coastlines, properties of sea water, motions of the sea (waves, tides and current), and marine life. Special reference is made to California and the problems of human uses of the sea. Field trips to marine areas of Southern California are made.

This course is designed to improve critical thinking skills in evaluating arguments in everyday life, in particular, arguments over moral, social and political issues. Emphasis is placed upon the analysis of language as an aid to clear thinking. Informal fallacies of reasoning shall be studied and exercises in reasoning may be included. Techniques of informal logic are not introduced.

A study of the basic principles of moral evaluation and issues of ethical theory, as well as of specific moral issues, such as sexual morality, abortion and the death penalty. The primary emphasis is in aiding students in developing critical abilities in moral evaluation.

This is an introductory course in the principles and problems of the government in the national, state and local areas. This course meets California State University requirements for United States history and United States Constitution.

This course provides an opportunity to investigate relevant areas in psychology such as dreams, interpersonal communication, sexuality, aging, death, creativity and stress related diseases. It will also cover a basic introduction to the field of psychology: principles of emotion, motivation, growth and development, learning and memory, personality, intelligence, biology of behavior, abnormal behavior and mental health are studied.

This course provides an introduction to the general principles of sociology emphasizing social organization, change and interaction. Reference is made to varied world cultures with concentration upon social institutions in our own society. Topics include culture, status, role, personality, socialization, social groups, social power, family, social stratification, collective behavior and social change.

This course provides analysis of, and practice in non-platform speaking which takes place when people interact. Communication is analyzed in terms of speaker self-perception, feedback, verbal and non-verbal communication, listening, and communication barriers and breakdowns. Classroom performance of the exercises will provide understanding and awareness of the principles of communication.

Introduces fundamental tools of quantitative methods in research: data collection, organization, presentation, analysis and interpretation. Attention is given to tabulation, graphic presentation of data, measure of central tendency, variability, the normal curve, probability and research methods.

One of the most serious crimes or breaches of morality that can occur in the academic setting is plagiarism. Plagiarism is the taking or copying of the work of someone else and claiming it as your own. One of the most treasured aspects of the practice of scholarship is the free sharing of ideas and discoveries. In order for this sharing to take place, however, there must be a practice of carefully giving credit to others when you use their work.

In a college setting such as in PACE or other classes, this means that it is not permissable to copy anyone else's work by any means and claim it as your own. To take someone else's work and claim it as your own is a form of fraud or theft and is usually treated as such.

This means that at the very least, if you are caught plagiarizing someone else's work, you will lose all credit for that copied work. In some cases, in addition, you may be excluded from that class, or perhaps even from the school. We take plagiarism very seriously.