Student CheatingStudent Cheating

Understanding the cultural contextUnderstanding the cultural context

University of GuelphUniversity of Guelph

May 15, 2002May 15, 2002

ObjectivesObjectives

Discuss research data on the state of Discuss research data on the state of student integrity.student integrity.

Discuss what faculty can do to Discuss what faculty can do to reduce student cheating.reduce student cheating.

Discuss Academic Integrity Policies & Discuss Academic Integrity Policies & Procedures.Procedures.

Institutional Factors Institutional Factors That Influence CheatingThat Influence Cheating

Cheating is campus norm (cheating culture)Cheating is campus norm (cheating culture)

School has no honour codeSchool has no honour code

Penalties for cheating are not severePenalties for cheating are not severe

Faculty understanding/support is lowFaculty understanding/support is low

Little chance of getting caughtLittle chance of getting caught

Cheating higher at larger, less selective Cheating higher at larger, less selective schoolsschools

Honour CodesHonour Codes

TraditionalTraditional

Unproctored examsUnproctored exams PledgePledge

Student judiciaryStudent judiciary Non-tolerationNon-toleration

ModifiedModified

Student judiciaryStudent judiciary PledgePledge

Academic integrity a campus-wide priorityAcademic integrity a campus-wide priority

Rehabilitative sanctionsRehabilitative sanctions

Personal Factors Personal Factors That Influence CheatingThat Influence Cheating

Business/engineering majorsBusiness/engineering majors

Future plans involve businessFuture plans involve business

Men generally self-report more cheatingMen generally self-report more cheating

Fraternity/sorority membersFraternity/sorority members

Younger studentsYounger students

Students with lower GPA’sStudents with lower GPA’s

Summary Cheating Indicators -Summary Cheating Indicators -Student vs. Faculty PerspectivesStudent vs. Faculty Perspectives

StudentsStudents FacultyFaculty

Test Cheating Test Cheating 23% - 45% 23% - 45% (23%)(23%) 29% - 55% 29% - 55% (51%)(51%)

Written CheatingWritten Cheating 45% - 56% 45% - 56% (50%)(50%) 76% - 83% 76% - 83% (84%)(84%)

Serious CheatingSerious Cheating 53% - 68% 53% - 68% (55%)(55%) 81% - 90% 81% - 90% (86%)(86%)

All CheatingAll Cheating 68% - 83% 68% - 83% (73%)*(73%)* 85% - 91% 85% - 91% (90%)*(90%)*

Repetitive Test Repetitive Test 6% - 17% 6% - 17% (6%)(6%) 6% - 21% 6% - 21% (23%)(23%)

* Includes Internet cheating.* Includes Internet cheating.

Many U of G students see little cheatingMany U of G students see little cheating

““Guelph has an extremely low Guelph has an extremely low incidence of cheating.”incidence of cheating.”

““Cheating is not a problem on this Cheating is not a problem on this campus.”campus.”

But not all agreeBut not all agree

““Cheating has become a social norm Cheating has become a social norm amongst students…”amongst students…”

Faculty also hold differing viewsFaculty also hold differing views

“ “I don’t think we have a serious I don’t think we have a serious cheating problem on this campus…”cheating problem on this campus…”

““Cheating does seem to be a serious Cheating does seem to be a serious problem, and the internet has made problem, and the internet has made cheating on essay assignments cheating on essay assignments increasingly easy.”increasingly easy.”

Serious CheatingSerious CheatingStudents vs. FacultyStudents vs. Faculty

StudentsStudents FacultyFaculty

Copying on exam Copying on exam 78% 78% (84%) (84%) 95% 95% (96%)(96%)

PlagiarismPlagiarism 69% 69% (83%)(83%) 92% 92% (95%)(95%)

CollaborationCollaboration 24% 24% (12%)(12%) 52% 52% (57%)(57%)

Failure to footnote Failure to footnote 35% 35% (29%)(29%) 40% 40% (51%)(51%)

Internet plagiarismInternet plagiarism 48% 48% (27%)(27%) 90% 90% (49%)(49%)

New technologies are an issueNew technologies are an issue

• Downloading papers from the InternetDownloading papers from the Internet

• 5% - 10% 5% - 10% (2%)(2%) admit they’ve done it and admit they’ve done it and one-quarter one-quarter (20%)(20%) don’t think it’s serious don’t think it’s serious cheatingcheating

• Internet plagiarismInternet plagiarism

• 10% - 20% 10% - 20% (41%)(41%) have cut and pasted have cut and pasted material into a paper without citing the material into a paper without citing the source and almost half source and almost half (3/4) (3/4) don’t think it’s don’t think it’s serious cheatingserious cheating

Internet Quizzes Seem To Be An IssueInternet Quizzes Seem To Be An Issue

““Internet quizzes permit friends to assist Internet quizzes permit friends to assist in answering questions.” in answering questions.”

““Students assisting each other on the Students assisting each other on the internet based tests.”internet based tests.”

““By far, the most common is cheating on By far, the most common is cheating on internet based tests. They should be internet based tests. They should be taken in private and are usually taken in taken in private and are usually taken in groups.”groups.”

CollaborationCollaboration

• Collaborative learning has great Collaborative learning has great value, but so does teaching value, but so does teaching students to accept responsibility for students to accept responsibility for their own work.their own work.

• Many students don’t know where to Many students don’t know where to draw the line and faculty often draw the line and faculty often provide little guidance.provide little guidance.

Prevalence of Prevalence of Collaborative WorkCollaborative Work

UnpermittedUnpermitted

CollaborationCollaboration HelpHelp

StudentsStudents 44% 44% (44%)(44%) 48% 48% (26%)(26%)

FacultyFaculty 23% 23% (55%)(55%) 43% 43% (46%)(46%)

Most students don’t view Most students don’t view collaboration as serious cheatingcollaboration as serious cheating

StudentsStudents FacultyFaculty

CollaborationCollaboration 24% 24% (12%) (12%) 52% 52% (57%)(57%)

Unpermitted Help Unpermitted Help 38% 38% (18%)(18%) 71% 71% (61%)(61%)

Collaboration at GuelphCollaboration at Guelph

““Collaboration on take-home assignments Collaboration on take-home assignments that are supposed to be independent.” that are supposed to be independent.”

“ “Group collaboration on non-group Group collaboration on non-group projects.”projects.”

““Students copy and collaborate from each Students copy and collaborate from each other or from assignments from other or from assignments from previous years and hand [it in as]… previous years and hand [it in as]… their own work.”their own work.”

Preventing CollaborationPreventing Collaboration

Reduce the relative importance of Reduce the relative importance of assignments that lend themselves to assignments that lend themselves to collaboration (e.g., busy collaboration (e.g., busy work/repetitive problem sets).work/repetitive problem sets).

Minimize individual assignments Minimize individual assignments when course thrust is collaborative.when course thrust is collaborative.

Clarify your expectations!Clarify your expectations!

ObjectivesObjectives

Discuss research data on the state of Discuss research data on the state of student integrity.student integrity.

Discuss what faculty can do to Discuss what faculty can do to reduce student cheating.reduce student cheating.

Faculty SafeguardsFaculty Safeguards NCNC ModMod CodeCode

Change exams Change exams 79% 82% 70% 79% 82% 70% (70%)(70%)

Discuss integrityDiscuss integrity 63% 59% 55% 63% 59% 55% (63%)(63%)

Info in syllabus Info in syllabus 57% 61% 52% 57% 61% 52% (60%)(60%)

Remind studentsRemind students 48% 47% 60% 48% 47% 60% (44%)(44%)

Different exams Different exams 49% 42% 28% 49% 42% 28% (38%)(38%)

Discuss detection 27% 19% 12% Discuss detection 27% 19% 12% (22%)(22%)

Faculty reactions to cheatingFaculty reactions to cheating

55% have reprimanded a student 55% have reprimanded a student (37%)(37%)

40% have lowered a grade 40% have lowered a grade (18%)(18%)

30% referred to “authority” 30% referred to “authority” (30%)(30%)

21% have referred issue to Chair 21% have referred issue to Chair (25%)(25%)

32% have done nothing 32% have done nothing (NA)(NA)

Guelph Faculty IssuesGuelph Faculty Issues

“ “Ensure standards of academic integrity Ensure standards of academic integrity are applied even-handedly across are applied even-handedly across everyone (from President to student).”everyone (from President to student).”

““We need a sliding scale of penalties…”We need a sliding scale of penalties…”

““The rules are clear. They musty be The rules are clear. They musty be evenly implemented. The fear of legal evenly implemented. The fear of legal problems is stifling the application of problems is stifling the application of academic misconduct rules at the academic misconduct rules at the moment.”moment.”

Many Students Seem to AgreeMany Students Seem to Agree

““Cheating policy and prevention at Cheating policy and prevention at Guelph is a joke. A JOKE!! Even if a Guelph is a joke. A JOKE!! Even if a student is caught there is little student is caught there is little penalty.”penalty.”

““I have witnessed a great deal of I have witnessed a great deal of cheating – much of it known by TAs or cheating – much of it known by TAs or faculty and yet I have never seen any faculty and yet I have never seen any serious consequences.”serious consequences.”

““I don’t think faculty want to hear about I don’t think faculty want to hear about cheating because if means more work cheating because if means more work for them.”for them.”

Students want more guidanceStudents want more guidance

““Guelph needs to be tougher on educating Guelph needs to be tougher on educating the student body on the consequences of the student body on the consequences of cheating…”cheating…”

““Teachers leave it up to the students to Teachers leave it up to the students to educate themselves on the policies via the educate themselves on the policies via the undergrad calendar… it is not in undergrad calendar… it is not in understandable language…”understandable language…”

““At the beginning of the year someone, be it At the beginning of the year someone, be it a TA or a prof, should go over all of the a TA or a prof, should go over all of the plagiarism ‘rules’...”plagiarism ‘rules’...”

““Academic Integrity: 10 Academic Integrity: 10 Principles”Principles”

McCabe & PavelaMcCabe & PavelaDecember 1997December 1997

Principles of academic integrity Principles of academic integrity for faculty.for faculty.

Faculty PrinciplesFaculty Principles

Affirm the importance of Affirm the importance of academic integrity.academic integrity.

Affirm that the pursuit of truth is Affirm that the pursuit of truth is grounded in certain core values, grounded in certain core values, including diligence, civility, and including diligence, civility, and honesty.honesty.

Faculty PrinciplesFaculty Principles

Foster an environment of trust Foster an environment of trust in the classroom.in the classroom.

Most students are mature adults, and Most students are mature adults, and value an environment free of value an environment free of arbitrary rules and trivial arbitrary rules and trivial assignments, where trust is earned, assignments, where trust is earned, and given.and given.

Faculty PrinciplesFaculty Principles

Clarify expectations for Clarify expectations for students.students.

Faculty must clarify their expectations Faculty must clarify their expectations regarding honesty in academic work, regarding honesty in academic work, including the nature and scope of including the nature and scope of collaboration. Most students want such collaboration. Most students want such guidance.guidance.

Faculty PrinciplesFaculty Principles

Reduce opportunities to engage Reduce opportunities to engage in academic dishonesty.in academic dishonesty.

Students should not be tempted to Students should not be tempted to engage in acts of academic dishonesty engage in acts of academic dishonesty by ambiguous policies, undefined or by ambiguous policies, undefined or unrealistic standards for collaboration, unrealistic standards for collaboration, inadequate classroom management, or inadequate classroom management, or poor examination security.poor examination security.

Faculty PrinciplesFaculty Principles

Challenge academic dishonesty Challenge academic dishonesty when it occurs.when it occurs.

Faculty who ignore academic Faculty who ignore academic dishonesty send the message that the dishonesty send the message that the core values of academic life are not core values of academic life are not worth any significant effort to enforce.worth any significant effort to enforce.

Faculty PrinciplesFaculty Principles

Encourage student Encourage student responsibility for academic responsibility for academic integrity.integrity.

Students want to work in communities Students want to work in communities where competition is fair, integrity is where competition is fair, integrity is respected, and cheating is punished.respected, and cheating is punished.

ObjectivesObjectives

Discuss research data on the state of Discuss research data on the state of student integrity.student integrity.

Discuss what faculty can do to Discuss what faculty can do to reduce student cheating.reduce student cheating.

Discuss Academic Integrity Policies & Discuss Academic Integrity Policies & Procedures.Procedures.

““Some Good News Some Good News About Academic Integrity”About Academic Integrity”

McCabe & PavelaMcCabe & PavelaSept./Oct. 2000Sept./Oct. 2000

The basic elements of a The basic elements of a good academic integrity policy.good academic integrity policy.

Student Involvement is Student Involvement is CriticalCritical

Ask students about the nature and Ask students about the nature and extent of campus cheating. extent of campus cheating.

Give interested students and faculty Give interested students and faculty a voice in setting campus policy.a voice in setting campus policy.

Help student leaders educate their Help student leaders educate their peers.peers.

Addressing Alleged ViolationsAddressing Alleged Violations

Develop fair, prompt and efficient Develop fair, prompt and efficient due process procedures.due process procedures.

Allow students to play a major role in Allow students to play a major role in the resolution of contested cases.the resolution of contested cases.

Enforce significant sanctions, keyed Enforce significant sanctions, keyed to an academic integrity seminar.to an academic integrity seminar.

Other PointsOther Points

• Give student leaders support and Give student leaders support and guidance.guidance.

• Keep faculty/senior administrators Keep faculty/senior administrators informed.informed.

• Encourage presidential leadership.Encourage presidential leadership.

• Evaluate and benchmark.Evaluate and benchmark.

Fundamental Values ProjectFundamental Values Project

Center for Academic IntegrityCenter for Academic Integrity