Tips for Dealing with Student Academic Dishonesty in the Classroom - PDF document

Tips for Dealing with Student Academic Dishonesty in the Classroom Created by the Academic Honesty Subcommittee of Academic Standards, Fall 2007 1) Take a proactive stance. Make students aware of the College’s Academic Honesty Policy (AHP) and of consequences for cheating in your class. The policy is available in the Catalog/Student Handbook and on the myharper portal. (Under “Divisions” click on “Student Affairs”; then click on “Policies and Procedures”.) Ideas include: • Distribute a copy of the Academic Honesty Policy at the start of the semester • Include or reference Academic Honesty Policy in syllabus • Reference AHP before assignments or tests • Be clear and thorough when communicating class expectations and assignment requirements • Provide students with DO and DON’T examples • Encourage students to ask questions and seek clarification • COMMUNICATE with students and encourage students to COMMUNICATE with faculty • Talk to your department chair and/or dean regarding divisional practices to help promote consistency • See Appendix A for other proactive suggestions from Harper faculty 2) Ask yourself how you know the student cheated. What evidence do you have that a violation occurred? • Utilize resources such as Turnitin.com and Googling a sentence • Identify the specific nature of the breach (EX: copied off of paper during written test) • Identify HOW cheating occurred o Identify specific student behavior (EX: A student’s eyes wandered. EX: Two students text messaged each other during class.) • Identify how breach was brought to your attention o You witnessed o You saw evidence of o You suspected, suspicions were confirmed o Student(s) reported o Other • Determine who was involved in the cheating o One student o More than one student or individual o From one class or from multiple sections o Other • Determine exactly on WHAT academic honesty was breached. Be as specific as possible. o Homework o Paper o Test, Quiz o In class or Out of class o Individual or group assignment o Other o Combination of the above 1

3) Consider options when determining sanctions / consequences to the cheater. • What does my syllabus say about consequences? • Is this the first occurrence in the class? • What was the student’s intent? • Is the student remorseful? • Is there an opportunity to make this an educational experience for the student? • How have I handled similar situations in the past? • How have similar situations been handled by my department? • Consider impact of consequences o What is the short term impact of consequences to the cheater? To others? o What is the long term impact of consequences to the cheater? To others? o What are the consequences to the instructor? To the department? To other faculty? Possible Consequences (examples only; not intended to be all-inclusive) Less Severe ________________________________________________More Severe Verbal Warning Lower grade on assignment Lower grade in course* Redo assignment/test Fail assignment Fail course* Give an additional assignment/test Suggest student-initiated withdrawal from course * Note that per the Academic Honesty policy, “In cases of academic dishonesty, the faculty assigned grade supersedes a student- initiated withdrawal.” 4) Complete the Academic Honesty Form (on the myharper portal under “Divisions” click on “Student Affairs”; then click on “Policies and Procedures”) and communicate with the student. • Let the student know the outcome of your investigation and the consequences you are imposing • Give the student an opportunity to explain his or her behavior if you have not already done so • Provide the student with a copy of the Academic Honesty Form • Retain a copy of the Academic Honesty Form for your files • Send the original of the Academic Honesty Form to the Dean of Affairs Office. Benefits of this are: o Centralized file created o Can catch repeat offenders o Ensures a consistent follow-up communication that informs parties of rights/procedures such as the appeals process o May request that additional Student Code of Conduct charges be filed 2

APPENDIX A The ideas below were adapted from Harper College Faculty responses to a 1999-2000 survey on academic honesty. PHYSICAL/ENVIRONMENTAL 1. SEATING • Seat students every other seat or be sure seats are as far as possible apart. • Change seating during tests. Have students sit in different seats than they sit in during class. • Prearrange seating – random each time. • Use divider panels (helpful with circular and rectangular tables – often an issue in labs). • Seat suspect students in front. 2. COPIES OF TESTS • Use various copies for each administering, scramble questions or solutions for multiple choice questions. • When space is very tight have 3 versions. • Change tests and assignments every semester. • Shred old exams or dispose of them properly. • Use only 1 copy of test but run it on multiple colors, implying they are different versions. 3. SYLLABUS • Clearly define plagiarism/cheating. • Put the Academic Honesty Policy in your syllabus and discuss. • Be clear about the implications and consequences of cheating and that you have zero tolerance. • Explain the difference between sharing ideas vs. taking someone else’s work and submitting it as your own. • Print warnings of the consequences ON the tests and assignments. • Review the Academic Honesty Policy before each test. 4. VISIBILITY OF PROFESSOR • Patrol the room during tests, preferably have 2 people. • Do not allow books, hats, bathroom breaks, phone breaks, smoking breaks, etc. • Eye contact is very important. Let them know you are watching . 5. STRICT FOLLOWING OF PROCEDURES FOR TEST EXCEPTIONS • Only allow make-ups in a secure location. • Do not allow any make-ups. Instead allow students to drop their lowest test grade. • No one allowed to take a test early. • Use a different exam for make-ups. ATTITUDINAL 6 . CLASS DISCUSSIONS • On the first day of class have verbal discussions and clear descriptions of cheating and the consequences. Have students sign a contract that they understand the College policy. 3

• As an in class exercise have the students share reasons why cheating is not ethical and why it hinders the learning process. • Test students on the content of the Academic Honesty Policy. • Discuss cultural attitudes/definitions of cheating. • Be firm about expectations and consequences of cheating. • When there are infractions, announce them anonymously to the entire class . 7. SET A BASELINE OF YOUR STUDENTS’ STARTING ABILITIES • Evaluate the skills that students bring into the class. • Get to know your students. • Use in-class assignments to familiarize yourself with students’ abilities. • Get to know the friendships between students so you can compare work later. 8. MAKE ASSIGNMENTS DIFFICULT • Assign individual projects that can’t allow cheating, such as something not easily found on the internet. • Use essay only tests. • Employ a grading process that helps neutralize cheating effect – mix papers, quizzes, classroom participation, etc. • Do a lot of in class work. • Measure by using ways that show students can apply skills to problems, rather than rote learning. • Make students show work and how they got to the answer or show preliminary work with the final project. • Arrange for take-home or collaborative assignments to have zero or minimal impact on the overall/semester grade. • Make students submit two copies of their paper so one can be kept on file for future reference if you get similar papers. 9. ATTITUDE • Respect for teacher and peers is encouraged. • Let them know, “I’m here to teach. You’re here to learn.” • Be available to help students and steer them toward other resources so they can feel they have a way out of temptation. • Let them know you believe they are honest, trust-worthy, conscientious and that they only deny themselves the learning experience when they neglect or cheat on assignments. • Encourage students to ask for assistance when confused. • Have zero tolerance on breaches of honesty. 10. OTHER • Allow all students to bring notes to exam. Now the cheater is on same level field with non-cheaters. • Form research paper assignments so that they are weighted more heavily toward analysis and not so much to rote research. • Do not store exams in an accessible computer system. 4