Hi James,
That's right always look into suspicious behavior from a student while they are testing. Very often the suspicious behavior is dealing with the student trying to do something sneaky while testing.
Patricia
Hi J.,
These are great ways to reduce cheating, and they are very effective as well.
Patricia
Some ways to reduce student cheating involve spacing student seating so that the students do not have an opertunity to look at other students tests. Also, you can prepare alternative tests for different students using a test bank. Another use for a test bank is to scramble the questions so that it is difficult for the student to cheat.
J. Wright
Cheaters will find a way they always do the sad part is they do realize until it to late that they hurt selves.
The approach of placing yourself in a good vantage point will help reduce the opportunity to cheat. Suspicious behavior should be investigated to deter continuation of the cheating (if indeed that is what is occuring).
You may want to consider establishing an honor code at the beginning of the school year. Honor codes tend to discourage even the most avid cheaters. You may also want to establish a no-tolerance cheating policy. If students know that there will be consequences if they cheat, they will be less likely to even attempt it.
Do not leave answers to the test on your desk. If students have access to the answers, they may be tempted to steal and share them.
Do not leave the room while a test is in progress.
Establish a “no talking” policy during tests. All chatter can wait until after the test has ended.
If space allows, spread your students out. If they can’t see their neighbor’s paper, they can’t copy from it.
If your classroom is cramped, consider administering tests in the school cafeteria or library.
Do not allow students to keep anything on their desk with the exception of their test paper and a pen or pencil.
Create different tests. The test content can be the same, but the questions can be organized differently to deter easy copying.
I encountered this problem just this past week. I have the students clear everything off the desk before the exam. One student carefully situated a notebook on a chair next to her. When I walked to that area, I saw the med term words written on the notebook. I moved the notebook a bit so that it was not readily available to the student. Without calling attention to the situation I believe the student got the message.
I agree with many of the posts on this forum that cheaters will always find a way. I read an article a few years back that discussed some of the most common methods of cheating. There was also an edition on Dateline about this topic. I remember seeing on Dateline how students would peel off the label of a water bottle and write notes/answers in tiny handwriting on the inside of the label. They would then glue it back onto the water bottle. So when they were taking the test, they could just have their water bottle in front of them and be able to read through the bottle to see the answers. My first thought on seeing this was that if students spent that much effort on studying, they could legitimately and ethically pass the course!
One thing I do in my classroom is have all phones put away. Texting answers back and forth has become a common method of cheating. I also require all books (if not an open-book test!), bags, etc. be off the desk. The only thing I allow in front of the student is the test or their computer (if it is an online test). I do require no other websites be opened on the computer during the test, and I walk around the room during the test to help students resist the temptation of cheating!
what i do is if i have space i split them up and i have them put everything on the floor or chair and if i dont have space i have a test a,b,c so they can not cheat and i walk around the room
I have the students remove any books or papers from their desks to reduce the opportunity to cheat.
YOou can reduce cheating by knowing the different methods students use to cheat. By being aware of cheating methods you know what t o look for. Also, by walking around the classroom during test times can also reduce cheating because the students may not be aware of your location.
Hi Carolyn,
Some students are extremely creative when it comes to cheating. I've been teaching for over 22 years, and students never cease to amaze me when it comes to cheating. Just when you thought you have seen it all, a student comes up with another way to cheat.
Patricia
Hi Larry,
These are great practices to reduce cheating. Letting students know that they are being watched during test time works for a lot of students to deter cheating.
Patricia
When we test I make them clear the tables,cell phones off, and I stand so I can let my presence be known that I am monitoring the whole room. Seems to work well for me.
I have realized as well, if someone is going to cheat he/she can become very creative when doing so. I usually walk to the back of the room and observe and walk back to my desk, and wait a little bit and observe behaviors from there.
Reducing student cheating: I have found that communicating up front with the class about the consequences of cheating helps initially. It is important to establish ground rules for taking tests in the beginning. If they really want to cheat then they will find a way, but mostly in a career college environment, my students are motivated to learn. I have had some problems with foreign students mostly, and I think that this is because the career college's basis for reading/writing English is lower than it should be. Especially if they are learning medical terminology and they can barely understand English. I think that these students are met with more challenges and have a higher tendency to cheat ...not all of them, of course.
Hi Karl,
Thoroughly prepare students so that they will feel ready for the test and there is not a desire to want to cheat. I like giving pop quizzes that will be reflective of the test based on what I have lectured on.
Patricia
I attempt to reduce student cheating by spacing the students and making sure that the only thing that is on their desk is a pencil or pen. I constantly walk throughout the aisles of the classroom and allow students to be excused as they finish the test. I allow for bathroom breaks prior to testing and make it clear that if anyone is found cheating that it is a "breach of dishonesty" and they receive a automatic 0. This is further explained to the students that a 0 limits their chances of passing the course.
Hi Meher,
I have discovered that cell phones can be a big help to students when trying to cheat on a test. I too make sure cell phones are put away during test time.
Patricia
I always have my student to spread out during the test. I also like to walk around in between the students during the test. no one is allowed to leave the class room or use cell phone during the test.
