standing in the back of the classroom has been an excellent deterrent for me.
WOW!!! I never thought of that...I will do that next time....
A primary way to reduce cheating on tests (especially if objective tests) is by spreading the students out more causing it to be increasingly difficult for someone to cheat off another since they are so far away. Another way to reduce cheating is by not having completely objective tests. By adding short answers or essay questions cheating becomes obvious in the answers of the students.
Great idea that way they think that the person they cheated from knows no more than they do.
Hi Paul. In order to reduce cheating I make three versions of the same test. This way students seating next to each other have different content. This seems to work well.
When I make my tests' out, First I prepare several versions of the test. I have an A test and a B test. I have my students sit at different tables, away from their friends.
I have found this helps out alot with my students.
To reduce students cheating I have two different test banks, I walk around during the exam, I require that they only have the exam and scantron on the desk. When calculators are needed, they are only aloud to utilize the classroom calculators. Also, at the beginning of the course they are informed about what will happen to them and there grade when they are caught cheating.
Hi Russell,
It is always a red flag if students are watching you when testing. They are trying to determine where you are so that they can try to cheat.
Patricia Scales
Wow, great idea and deterrent, Karen.
I reduce cheating by mixing "objective" questions such as multiple choice and true/false questions with fill in the blanks and short essay questions. Some of the students don't like it and they tell me other professors do not do that. It is generally more work for me in grading but it allows me to see whether or not they grasp the knowledge and can apply what they learned.
In addition, I ensure that there are enough spaces separating the students. I do watch them and rotate my position from the front to the back and vice versa so they know I am watching.
Felicia
Multiple exams are an excellent method to discourage cheating on tests. I also find that before students tend to let their eyes roam to a neighboring answer sheet they will first look toward me to see what I am doing. If they see me paying attention and looking around the room, their eyes will return to their work. It's a simple pre-empted way of preventing a problem. It does require me to be in the room and not absorbed in something beyond the test in progress.
I have had a few students cheat in an obvious way.
Generally, I tell students "if you have to cheat in my class, you will fail in life." This always gets a laugh, and it seems to sink in - because cheating has never been a big problem for me.
Years ago, 2 girls, who were "A" students, cheated on the in-class midterm.
I knew that if I reported it to my dean (as the policy recommended), the panderer-in-chief would do nothing (this school cost $50K/yr).
so I handled it this way: I sent the girls an email telling them that they were caught and I didn't understand why they did it. I gave them each 50% although they scored much higher, explaining that since it was a group effort, each participant could only share in the score (if I simply threw the grade away, there would be no penalty at all, especially since students tend to do less well on big tests than small quizzes).
I asked them (rhetorically)whether they understood what they had done, and if so, let me know.
They seemed to appreciate my approach and I believe that it will curb any proclivity to repeat the act.
Short story long, one way to avoid cheating is to minimize the types of assignments and other assessments that provide an opportunity to cheat. I assign (big long) quizzes to groups with a week to complete, to duplicate task assignments in the real world (rarely is "work" taking tests) and build collaborative/managerial skills.
I have students spread out and give every other one a different version of the test. I walk around the room and continually monitor while they are taking their test.
Hi John,
I can see how this works really well. I have a simple solution to cheating. I let my students know that I will be watching them like a hawk for any dishonesty.
Patricia Scales
the best method I have found effective in reducing cheating is rotaiting the seating chart
I have several versions of the same test.I review for the exam and let the students aware of how great they will do on the exam,I might play bingo or jeporday with test questions and always allow the student to ask questions when reviewing.I also review my expectations for testing and the format of the exam efore testing.
Give the students different tests
I space my students out so they can't see each other's papers and I walk around the room while they are taking the test. I also let them know from day one that if they even look like they are cheating it will be a zero. This usually discourages the extra sneaky cheaters.
Many of our tests are hands on/manipulative so not much room for cheating. However, we do have a weekly multiple choice test, it is done on line. It is possible for the student to cheat but I find by doing a review of the weeks work on the night before the test is a good engaging technique for the class. It allows them to ask questions that they may not have been able to ask earlier in the week, but now that they have had time to think about what they have learned they may be able to articulate their question better. We study medical language every week on a new body system, to insure they have studied their words I give daily spelling pre-tests.
Hi Amy,
I live by the fall back plan. I have learned that some students really try taking the easy way out. I use the fall back plan as a safety net...just in case.
Patricia Scales
