Every teacher in a situation with graded
activities must think about the possibility of cheating
(also known as "academic dishonesty" or "academic
misconduct"), and make some plans for dealing with
it. Students themselves have reported a relatively high
level of cheating, by others and even by themselves: 40-70%
say they themselves have cheated at some time or other
in college (Davis, p. 299.)
In general, the best strategies are to take
specific actions to PREVENT (or at least minimize) cheating,
but when it does occur: TAKE ACTION. Here are more specific
strategies.
1. Make cheating "not cool": Develop
group norms against cheating
a. At the beginning of the course, establish
standards and expectations of honesty. The syllabus
should emphasize learning goals, first and foremost.
But when discussing how grades will be determined, make
it clear that academic misconduct will be prosecuted
and what the penalties will be. For example, when cheating
occurs, will you lower the grade on that assignment
or in the whole course, give an "F" on that
assignment, give an "F" for the whole course,
or something else? Will there by different penalties
for different kinds of cheating?
b. If writing assignments will be used, this is also
a good time to help students understand the difference
between plagiarism and acceptable use of outside sources.
c. Several authors note that having a good relationship
with individual students discourages cheating. People
are more reluctant to be dishonest with someone they
know and respect.
d. McKeachie (1994, p. 96) describes a course activity
he uses, to involve the whole class in a discussion
of whether they want to use the honor system that term.
Even when they decide not to, the discussion helps develop
group norms for honesty and shows all students that
the majority of students do not like "cheaters."
2. Make cheating "not necessary: Help
students succeed without cheating
The two main ways to do this are:
· Make the criteria for success
in the course very clear.
· Make sure that the resources and learning activities
make it possible for all to succeed. [Note: This is
one area where norm-referenced grading (i.e., pre-determining
a percentage of the class to receive A's, B's, C's,
etc.) is disadvantageous, compared to criterion-referenced
grading.]
3. Make cheating "not easy to do":
Provide an appropriate testing environment
· When giving exams, don't overdo
it but make it clear that you or someone else is monitoring
the exam situation.
· Use alternate seating and/or alternate forms
of the exam in larger classes.
· When assigning papers, choose a device for
selecting topics that reduces the likelihood of students
using previously written papers.
4. Make cheating "not pleasurable":
Take action when it occurs
This is the last resort, not the first. But when, despite
other efforts to eliminate or reduce cheating, a student
still engages in academic misconduct, do something about
it--don't ignore it. That does a major disservice to honest
students in the class.
· All writers on this topic urge
teachers to follow school procedures. In most cases,
this means reporting the problem (or at least major
problems) to the appropriate administrative office,
rather than just talking to the student about it or
only administering a teacher-imposed penalty. When teachers
fail to report problems of serious cheating, the institution
has no way of knowing when a given student is cheating
in many classes and needs to be dismissed or put on
probation.
· Also follow whatever policies you put in your
own syllabus on cheating. To do otherwise is to reduce
your own credibility in the eyes of your students.
· McKeachie adds the good suggestion that one
also consider contacting a student's counselor or academic
advisor. They sometimes know whether a student is under
some particular stress that would lead to cheating,
and/or whether cheating by this student is a concern
of other teachers as well.
1. "Preventing Academic Dishonesty",
Chapter 34 in Tools for Teaching by Barbara Gross
Davis. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1993. Pp. 299-311. Offers
several specific strategies and actions to both prevent
cheating and to handle it when it occurs.
2. "What to do about Cheating",
Chapter 7 in Teaching Tips, 9th edition, by Wilbert
J. McKeachie. Lexington, Mass.: Heath, 1994. Pp. 95-99.
Has a number of down-to-earth strategies that he and others
have tried.
3. "Cheating", pp. 281-283 in Mastering
the Techniques of Teaching, 2nd edition, by Joseph Lowman.
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1995. Describes 5 conditions
under which cheating is less likely to occur. Also notes
that cheating is less likely to occur when students are
excited about the subject and have a good relationship with
the teacher.
