There are a number of common policies and guidelines that apply to the laboratories associated
with courses in the Department of Biology. These include policies on attendance, lateness,
plagiarism, cheating, appeals, academic accommodation, FIPPA and rights and responsibilities
and are outlined below in Parts 1 to 9. Additional policies and guidelines specific for each course
can be obtained by contacting the course instructor.
1. Attendance
1.1. Laboratories and tutorials are an essential part of the course. Students are required
to attend/complete all lab sessions as outlined in the Course syllabus. Attendance will be
taken at the beginning of each lab/tutorial session. Students may be excused attendance
at a lab or tutorial for medical reasons or for other reasons judged appropriate, at the
discretion of the Lab Coordinator. In either case, students must provide documentary
evidence to justify their absence (see 1.4 below). Students who miss more than 30% of
the labs and/or tutorial sessions, regardless of the reason, will automatically receive
a grade of F for the lab portion of the course. Under these circumstances, the maximum
possible grade that can be achieved for the lab/tutorial component of the course is 49%.
1.2. Laboratory sessions and tutorials begin at a time specified in the Public Course
Schedule. Students who arrive more than 15 min late, may not be admitted to the
laboratory or tutorial and will be marked absent. Extra time will not be allowed for
students arriving late.
1.3. Students must complete the lab or tutorial during the week specified in the lab
manual/course syllabus. Materials and supervision cannot be provided for a particular
laboratory after the week during which it is scheduled. Students who miss a lab or tutorial,
and have a valid reason, may attend another section if space is available and permission
has been obtained from of the Lab Coordinator prior to the lab session.
1.4. If a student is unable to write a lab test or complete an assignment (e.g., lab report)
due to illness or other circumstances beyond their control, this student must contact the
lab coordinator to ask if alternate arrangements can be made. The nature of any such
arrangements would depend on course-specific polices. The lab coordinator may request
one of:
a) A Carleton University Medical Certificate, (https://carleton.ca/registrar/cufiles/
medical-certificate-form/) signed by a physician, verifying that the student was
seen by a doctor either on, or prior to, the assignment due date/test date and that the
student was incapable of completing the assignment or writing the test at the appointed
time. A medical certificate issued by a doctor after the test or due date, and based
solely on hearsay by the student, is not acceptable.
b) Other official documents clearly indicating that the student’s absence from the test or
inability to complete an assignment was beyond their control.
1.5. The last dates for withdrawal from Fall, Winter or Spring term courses are listed in
the Undergraduate Calendar in the section entitled The Academic Year. Make note of
these dates. Withdrawal from a course after the published withdraw date will result in a
permanent WDN notation for that course on the student’s official transcript.
2. Submission of Assignments
Reports or assignments may not be submitted if you did not attend the lab session and/or did not
perform the work unless approved by the Lab Coordinator.
The format used to submit lab report and assignments varies from course to course (e.g.
electronically through Brightspace or hard copies in the lab) and students are advised to consult
the course specific guidelines in each lab manual (see section below). Formats other than that
specified in the course lab manual will not be graded.
Lab reports and assignments are due at a specific date and time as outlined in the course
laboratory manual. The penalty for reports submitted past the due date and time varies from
course to course. In some courses, late reports will not be accepted for grading while in others, a
late penalty will be applied. In cases where late submissions are allowed, the late penalty may be
waived for a verifiable medical reason or a circumstance beyond the student’s control if
accompanied by original documentation as outlined above in section 1.3. Please consult the
course specific policies below for guidelines concerning late submission in this course.
3. Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the presentation, in any form, of another person’s writings, images or ideas as your
own work, without expressly giving credit to that person. Placing a sentence or paragraph from
another person’s work into the text of your laboratory report, without a proper reference and
without putting the information in your own words, is plagiarism. Using a diagram or
information photocopied or scanned from a book or downloaded from the Web, without a proper
reference or paraphrasing, is plagiarism. All material/information that is not your own work
MUST BE presented in your own words and credit given to the source in the form of a citation
for the idea. The use of quotation marks and a reference should not be used in scientific writing.
Plagiarism is a serious offense and is subject to the Carleton University Academic Integrity
Policy (http://carleton.ca/senate/wp-content/uploads/Academic-Integrity-Policy1.pdf).
Suspected cases of plagiarism are referred to the Office of the Dean of Science for formal
investigation and penalties (see section 5) may be applied if it is determined that plagiarism has
occurred. If the act of plagiarism involves copying material from another student in the course,
then both students may be penalized.
If you are unsure whether what you have written or presented in an assignment or lab report is
plagiarism, consult the course TA or Lab Coordinator before submitting your work.
4. Cheating
Cheating on an examination, test or assignment is the act of obtaining or producing an answer by
deceit, fraud or trickery or by an act contrary to the rules of the examination or test. Instances of
cheating will be dealt with in accordance with the Carleton University Academic Integrity Policy
(see Plagiarism above).
5. Penalties for violations of the Carleton Policy on Academic Integrity
a) First offence, first-year students (< 4.0 credits completed): No credit for the assignment/
activity in question, or a final grade reduction of one full letter grade (e.g., A- becomes B-
) whichever penalty is greater.
b) First offence (everyone else): F in the course
c) Second offence: One-year suspension from program
d) Third offence: Expulsion from the University
Failure to inform yourself of the expectations regarding academic integrity is not a valid excuse
for violations of the policy. When in doubt, ASK your instructor or TA.
6. Appeals
Informal requests for a re-evaluation of marks for tests, laboratory reports or other assignments
will be accepted up to one week from the date of return of the marked work to the student. Note
that a re-evaluation may be done for simple errors such as addition of marks, or the whole test or
report may be remarked. The mark may remain the same, increase or decrease.
Formal applications for review of final grades are governed by the Academic Regulations in the
Undergraduate Calendar in the section on Course Evaluation. An application for review must be
received by the student’s Faculty Registrar by the date specified in the Undergraduate Calendar
in the section The Academic Year. Students are encouraged to discuss their concerns with the
Lab Coordinator or Course instructor before requesting a formal review.
7. Academic Accommodations
You may need special arrangements to meet your academic obligations during the term. A
request for accommodation in the laboratory of a course must be made separately from a request
for accommodation in the lecture of the course. In addition, laboratory accommodations are
course specific and an accommodation in one course does not automatically imply that a similar
accommodation is possible in another course.
Every effort will be made to provide accommodations in the laboratories, however the student
will be required to contact the Laboratory Coordinator to discuss any accommodations prior to
their implementation. The processes for requesting an accommodation are outlined below.
7.1 Pregnancy obligation: write to the instructor or lab coordinator with any requests for
academic accommodation during the first two weeks of class, or as soon as possible after
the need for accommodation is known to exist. For more details see the Student Guide at
Equity services: carleton.ca/equity/wp-content/uploads/Student-Guide-to-Academic-
Accommodation.pdf
7.2 Religious obligation: write to the instructor or lab coordinator with any requests for
academic accommodation during the first two weeks of class, or as soon as possible after
the need for accommodation is known to exist. For more details see the Student Guide at
Equity Services: carleton.ca/equity/wp-content/uploads/Student-Guide-to-Academic-
Accommodation.pdf
7.3 Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: If you have a
documented disability requiring academic accommodations in this course, please contact
the Paul Menton Centre for Students with Disabilities (PMC) at 613-520-6608 or
pmc@carleton.ca for a formal evaluation or contact your PMC coordinator to send your
instructor or lab coordinator your Letter of Accommodation at the beginning of the term.
You must also contact the PMC no later than two weeks before the first lab, in-class
scheduled test or exam requiring accommodation (if applicable). After requesting a
laboratory accommodation from PMC, you will be required to contact the lab coordinator
to discuss possible accommodations before any accommodation can be implemented.
carleton.ca/pmc
7.4 Survivors of Sexual Violence: As a community, Carleton University is committed to
maintaining a positive learning, working and living environment where sexual violence
will not be tolerated, and is survivors are supported through academic accommodations as
per Carleton’s Sexual Violence Policy. For more information about the services available at
the university and to obtain information about sexual violence and/or support, visit:
carleton.ca/sexual-violence-support
7.5 Accommodation for Student Activities: Carleton University recognizes the
substantial benefits, both to the individual student and for the university, that result from a
student participating in activities beyond the classroom experience. Reasonable
accommodation must be provided to students who compete or perform at the national or
international level. Please contact your instructor or lab coordinator with any requests for
academic accommodation during the first two weeks of class, or as soon as possible after
the need for accommodation is known to exist.
https://carleton.ca/senate/wpcontent/uploads/ Accommodation-for-Student-Activities-1.pdf
8. Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA)
In accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), all
personal and academic information is considered confidential and will not be disclosed to a third
party without the authorization of the person to whom the information pertains. Carleton
University’s FIPPA policy requires that information requests concerning academic or
administrative issues will only be answered if the request originates from the student’s
University provided email account (cmail) or in person upon presentation of their Carleton
Campus Card. Requests via phone or originating from other emails accounts, will not be
answered.
9. Rights and Responsibilities
As members of the University community, students are expected to act responsibly in all areas of
academic, personal and social conduct in accordance with The Carleton University Student
Rights and Responsibility Policy. In order to maintain a safe and effective learning environment,
students are expected to fully comply with all policies and procedures published in the Policy.
Disruptive or disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated. Each student should make themselves
familiar with this policy.
https://carleton.ca/secretariat/wp-content/uploads/Student-Rights-Responsibilities-Policy.pdf
As a student in a laboratory, you have certain rights and responsibilities according to the
Occupational Health and Safety Act of Ontario. It is your right to work in a safe environment.
Students are responsible for:
a) Knowing and following all applicable safety rules and practices as outlined in the
Laboratory manual and by the Lab Coordinator or Lab Demonstrator. (see section below
for additional Safety guidelines specific to this course)
b) Wearing and using personal protective equipment as instructed by the Lab Coordinator.
c) Familiarizing themselves with the location of safety equipment (eye wash, safety shower,
fire extinguisher, first aid kit and emergency phone) in the lab and evacuation route from
the lab to be used in the case of an emergency.
d) Reporting any incidents or unsafe conditions to the Lab Coordinator or Lab Demonstrator.
e) Reporting all instances requiring first-aid to the Lab Coordinator or Lab Demonstrator.
f) Notifying the Lab Coordinator and course Instructor of any medical conditions that may
require special precautionary measures in the laboratory.
g) Additional information can be obtained in the Carleton University Laboratory Safety
Manual https://carleton.ca/ehs/wp-content/uploads/manualslabsafety1.pdf
2025-26 version