My first choice is to have the students spread out. If that is impossible due to large class size per table space, then I go to my second option which is to have 2 versions of the test. The questions are nearly identical: sometimes the questions will be in a different order on the test; math questions will have different numbers, but same type of question; multiple choice questions will have the answer choices in a different order, etc. However, I tell the students that I am in no way accusing any of cheating, and my actions are only to make sure that there will be absolutely no cause for one student to accuse another of cheating either. They seem to accept that more easily.
We have additional faculty members present during a test. We also reinforce our cheating policy before most tests.
Hi Amalia,
Monitoring the room while testing is very important. It is not a bad thing to let students know they are being watched.
Patricia
One way is to make sure students are not so close to each other. Another way is to give them a different set of test to each of the student. So that the student sitting next does not have the same copy. Walk around the room and maeking sure everyone is looking at their own paper.
We explain what is plagiarism in the first class and also give them handouts explaining the same. Sometimes, I also get it signed by them. While changing seats, I try to make friends sit apart from each other. However they sit, constant monitoring helps us avoid cheating.
Hi Lisa,
If it is not possible for students to spreadout, what other tactics do you utilize to minimize cheating?
Patricia
Hi Rajeswari,
Students need to know about plagiarism. There are some students that act as though they do not fully undersand plagiarism. I like how you have your students change seats. You never know, some students come in to class wanting to sit beside a particular person for whatever reason.
Patricia
Hello,
We must also remember that technology provides new means of cheating. Telling students to put away cell phones and laptops is a good idea.
Hello,
Yes, I agree. Providing different tests is an excellent way to reduce cheating.
Hello,
One way is to discuss why cheating hurts the student. Another way to reduce cheating is to give more essay tests.
Explain the punishments for plagiarism in the first class. Make them sit at a distance, change their seats. Make rounds during the test.
Make different tests and make them short answer or essay type tests so that they have to give their own answer instead of making it simple by having multiple choice or true or false
In order to better prepare the student from having that urge to cheat, I hold many study sessions prior and day of the test. Also with the types of tests, I try to utilize more short answer questions to make them think.
if possible, have students spread out as far as seating, so they can't see each other's work.
Whenever giving out a quiz/test depending on the size of my classroom, I make different versions of the test but with the same questions and I inform the students so that they will know ahead of time that they need to review and study for the information that will be on the quiz/test.
I always make sure that I address the seriousness of it the first day. I also tell them of a past situation and clearly state that I did fail that student. Although it sounds threatening, it is a very straight forward approach to letting them know it is quite risky. I believe that the students that never cheat are happy to hear that I take it seriously.
Hi Herb,
Yes. It is almost impossible to cheat off of someone on short answers and case studies type tests. We make it to tempting for our students to cheat when we give multiple choice and T/F tests.
Patricia
Hi Timothy,
Change is a must to minimize cheating. It seems that some kind of way tests/quizzes leak out. I like the idea of changing tests/quizzes.
Patricia
I have made differant copys of the test, so that student could not look at each others and use the same answer. Depending how big the class is, sometimes I would have them sit apart from each other. If this was not an option, I would have all the students change seats with someone on opposite side of room, so that they did not sit next to a friend, this has happened and it helped.
I use several techniques. I tell the students prior to taking a test that cheating is not tolerated and goes against the school policies.
I seperate the students in the class giving them alot of space,(room set up). I never walk between them but stand in the back of the class. I also use a series of exams throughout the course, changing the quizzes and final.
