Tips For Preventing Cheating On Exams

Recently a nursing instructor at St Petersburg College lost her job after it was determined that the majority of her students had cheated on an mandatory exam. Because the students had copies of the exam before the testing date, 51 percent were able to score 90 percent or higher.  As noted by the college's lawyer, "We met with her, and we were satisfied that there was a lack of test security...it was mutually agreed that she resign."'

One of our tasks as professors is to prevent cheating.  In my book, Taking Back the Classroom: Tips for the College Professor on Becoming a More Effective Teacher, I discuss the two things it takes for students to be able to cheat: motivation and opportunity.  While you cannot affect someone’s motivation to cheat, you can take away the opportunity.  Being proactive helps and is much easier than dealing with a cheating situation after it occurs.

Some suggestions to prevent cheating on tests:

Let your students know that you expect them to do their own work and that cheating will be punished in your class.  Put your policy on cheating (or your university’s policy) in your syllabus.  You should also be familiar with your university’s procedures on reporting cheating so that you follow the appropriate steps if this becomes necessary.

Either proctor the exam yourself or make sure that whoever is proctoring for you remains in the room at all times.  Stand in the back of the room if possible so the students cannot see if you are watching.

Use more than one version of the exam.  I have several versions copied onto different colors of paper so that the students can see there is more than one exam.  You can use the same questions and just rearrange the order of these.  Don't try to fake out the students by giving the same exam to all and labeling them as different tests as they may figure this out.

Consider the following wording on exams so that students know they are not allowed to leave during the test: 

Note:  Please turn off your cell phone and attend to restroom needs before the exam begins.  If you leave the room, you must turn in your exam and it will be considered completed.

If the room is large enough, have the students spread out and leave an empty chair between each other. 

If you suspect that a student is cheating during an exam, go and stand near the student or ask the student to move to another seat, stating that it is a little crowded where he or she is sitting and you want to give the student more room.  You don't need to accuse him or her of cheating but make the student aware that you are watching.

Consider keeping all copies of the exams so you can use portions of these in other semesters and not have to worry about sorority or fraternity “test banks.”  You can give students the option of coming to your office to look at these again if you have a comprehensive final.

I find it helps to learn students' names (I do so with the aid of a seating chart) as they are not likely to try to cheat if they know I know who they are and that I'm paying attention.

Oklahoma State University has some additional tips for preventing cheating. 

Comments

[Jen]

I have battled this issue for many years. I have caught many students cheating by giving different versions of the exam during the same period. I have also had to deal with students cheating on homework assignments. They seem to think because it isn't a test it doesn't matter. Technology only makes things more difficult. I have found that I have the lowest incidents of cheating when I only offer short answer/long answer essay exams.

[Dr. Delaney Kirk]

I know. Some of the students don't seem to get that they will need to know this stuff after graduation! Thanks for commenting.

[Charlotte]

Great article!

[Charlotte]

One of my collegues allows her students to slack off in class and she really doesn't seem to care if they learn anything. The cheating in her program is rampant, from what I've been told. My collegue is more interested in keeping failing students enrolled in college full time so that they won't lose their grant money. My collegue wants to keep these students in school so they won't lose their food stamps and grant money. She has extremely low expectations of her students. She basically sells them passing grades so they won't get flunk out. It drives me crazy, but apparently this corruption has been going on for years and no one seems to care. It is very sad.