Need ideas on how to stop CHEATING & start an effective HONOR CODE!

jlauer95 · March 27, 2006, 10:45am

Everyone:

There have been threads in the past and present which vent the frustration of cheating. We need to come up with cohesive ideas on how to stop/prevent/discourage cheating for our schools (frankly, school admins don’t seem to have the time to “brain-storm” and need outside help).

IF this thread can come up with some thoughtful ideas, those who are interested can bring the ideas to their school admins and/or school boards for consideration.

1) First, what is cheating?

a) Test cheating – copying others’ answers, usuing “cheat sheets”, using text messaging, etc.

b) Plagiarism – copying another work without crediting source

c) Homework copying – asking to see a friend’s homework so the homework can be copied.

d) Parents doing an assignment for their child.

e) ??? Please add…

2) What about the “gray areas” of cheating?

a) “Parents input” – is it “cheating” if a parent proof-reads an essay and points out errors? Is it cheating if a parent reviews math homework about points out mistakes?

b) “Group Projects” – is it cheating when each member of a group project doesn’t do his/her “fair share” – how can that be properly and fairly addressed?

c) “phone a friend” – Calling a friend and asking for “help” on an assignment. How much “help” can a friend give without contributing to cheating?

d) What else???

3) What are some of your ideas to stop cheating? 
Some methods to stop cheating mentioned below have been copied from another thread (thanks to the teachers who posted them).

a) *Assign papers that make it difficult to cheat (i.e., not a straight biography or book review)

b) *Give open book and open note tests (so everyone can use their notes, not just cheaters)

c) *Not grade homework on anything other than completion, so that students TRY it but don’t have to get it right–it’s supposed to be practice, right

d) Using turnitin.com. The program reads the student’s paper and creates a score as to home much it overlaps published sources. …a high score indicates a lot of copying…[therefore] he better have a lot of quotation marks and foot notes.

e) WHAT ARE SOME OTHER METHODS TO STOP CHEATING – PLEASE POST!

4) What are some effective punishments for cheating?

1) ISS – In-school Suspension

2) ???

5) What about “repeat offenders”? What consequences for them?

1) ???

6) How can we protect the kids who “tell on cheaters”?

a) Anonymous tip line.

b) Ideas?

7) What have some schools done to make their honor code work? (Simply “having” an honor code is not enough. An effective honor code must mean something.)

a) Zero tolerance for cheating.

b) Having kids sign a pledge.

c) Having a way that kids can confidentially report cheating.

d) What else???

When adding, please include an appropriate outline number/letter so I can copy/paste and make a comprehensive outline. Thanks!!!

Also, please list important points as concise as possible. If further writing is necessary, put it in a separate paragraph on the same post.

THANKS :)

jlauer95 · March 27, 2006, 11:51am

A mom (thanks) in another thread posted the link that led to this website:

New Trier Township High School District 203 is committed to providing an atmosphere in which the values of truth, integrity, personal accountability, and respect for the rights of others are modeled. To this end, the Board of Education prohibits academic dishonesty. Academic dishonesty occurs when students obtain or assist others in obtaining credit for work which is not their own. More particularized definitions of academic dishonesty and various disciplinary consequences shall be set forth in the New Trier High School Academic Integrity Procedures as established by the administration from time to time and ratified by the Board of Education. All students shall be subject to those procedures. The Board directs the Superintendent to notify students, appropriate staff members, and parents/guardians of New Trier students of the Districts policy and procedures on academic integrity. (Reference: Board Policy 7.240)

The New Trier High School professional staff believes strongly in the partnership between school and home. To this

end, the staff will model the values of truth, integrity, personal accountability and respect for the rights of others.

To help students achieve their maximum academic potential, the staff will promote an environment which fosters integrity and honorable conduct. Administrators, faculty, students and parents share the responsibility for maintaining an atmosphere in which personal accountability is valued. The constant theme must be that honest evaluation of student progress demands honest work by each learner. To achieve the goal of academic integrity, expectations must be clearly articulated. The purpose of all academic integrity procedures is to cultivate an academically honest environment. Administrators will be fair and consistent when dealing with academic dishonesty. Students accused of academic dishonesty shall be entitled to a hearing, and parents shall be notified of the charge and the hearing.
Procedures

During the first week of classes, teachers will clearly define honest and dishonest academic work in their classes by discussing expectations and the importance of honest effort. Teachers will inform students of procedures and practices relating to examinations, homework and class work. Teachers will advocate the importance of honesty by employing teaching and testing strategies that reduce the opportunities for dishonest behavior.

Academic dishonesty occurs when students obtain or assist others in obtaining credit for work which is not their own.

Students must conduct themselves according to the highest standards of personal integrity. Students shall follow rules prohibiting dishonest academic behavior and must resist peer pressure to violate New Trier standards. Students will not use dishonest methods to fulfill academic expectations and responsibilities. Whenever students have a question about

this procedure or any procedure they should ask their teachers and/or advisers. Study or homework collaboration is not considered academic dishonesty unless prohibited or limited by procedures/expectations established by the teacher. Teachers shall guide students in understanding when collaborative efforts are not appropriate.

Examples of academic dishonesty may include, but not be limited to, the following:

<ol>
<li>communicating with another student during an examination or quiz;</li>
<li>copying material during an examination or quiz;</li>
<li>allowing a student to copy from ones examination or quiz;</li>
<li>using unauthorized notes or devices;</li>
<li>submitting falsified information for grading purposes;</li>
<li>obtaining a copy of and/or information about an examination or quiz without the knowledge and consent of the teacher;</li>
<li>submitting a paper or project which is not the students work;</li>
<li>copying another persons assignments;</li>
<li>allowing another student to copy ones assignment;</li>
<li>removing examinations or parts of examinations without the knowledge and consent of the teacher;</li>
<li>impersonating a student to assist the student academically;</li>
<li>having another student impersonate the student to assist academically;</li>
<li>stealing or accepting stolen copies of tests or answer keys;</li>
<li>changing answers and seeking credit on an assignment or examination after the work has been graded and returned;</li>
<li>altering a teachers grade book;</li>
<li>falsifying information for applications (e.g., college scholarships);</li>
<li>using computers and programmable calculators in violation of guidelines established by the teacher;</li>
<li>using professional help such as an author, expert, or purchased service in violation of guidelines established by the teacher;</li>
<li>unlawfully copying computer software or data created by others;</li>
<li>misusing school computer systems which are used for student, staff or administrative purposes; and</li>
<li>any other violation intended to obtain credit for work which is not ones own.</li>
</ol>

Plagiarism is the act of taking and using as ones own work anothers published or unpublished thoughts, ideas and/or writings. This definition includes computer programs, drawings, artwork and all other types of work, which are not ones own. Types of plagiarism include word-for-word, mosaic (rearrangement or rewording without documentation) and indirect (paraphrasing of a passage without documentation). Material taken from another source without adequate documentation may include, but not be limited to, the following:

<ol>
<li>failing to cite with quotation marks the written words or symbols of another author;</li>
<li>failing to footnote the author and sources of materials used in a composition;</li>
<li>failing to cite research materials in a bibliography;</li>
<li>failing to name a person quoted in an oral report;</li>
<li>failing to cite an author whose works are paraphrased or summarized; and</li>
<li>presenting another persons creative work or ideas as ones own in essays, poems, music, art, computer programs or other projects;</li>
<li>copying or paraphrasing ideas from literary criticism or study aids without documentation.</li>
</ol>

The following consequences for academic dishonesty and/or plagiarism are to be implemented by all teachers.

<ol>
<li>The teacher shall report any incident of academic dishonesty to the students adviser, adviser chair and the appropriate department chair. The adviser chair will confer with the Dean of Students.</li>
<li>The teacher shall assign the student no credit for the academic work or examination involved or the equivalent of a zero grade on an activity which is not an assignment, examination or a quiz.</li>
</ol>

Students who are charged with academic dishonesty and/or plagiarism shall be referred for additional discipline in conformance with the Districts student discipline policy. The following general procedures shall be applied:

First offense

In general, consequences for a first offense may include, but not be limited to, the following:

<ol>
<li>meeting with the parent(s) followed by written notification to the parent of the academic integrity policy;</li>
<li>suspension for one to three days.</li>
</ol>

Additional or more serious offenses

Additional or more serious incidents of academic dishonesty or plagiarism shall be dealt with more severely. Consequences for any offense beyond the first or a more serious initial offense shall include:

<ol>
<li>meeting with the parent(s); and</li>
<li>an increased number of days of suspension.</li>
</ol>

In addition, one or more of the following consequences may occur:

<ol>
<li>notification to the students post-high school counselor and any faculty members writing a college/university letter of recommendation;</li>
<li>no public recognition of the student at any senior honors function;</li>
<li>no distinguished scholar recognition (if applicable);</li>
<li>no scholarship money granted to the student by the New Trier Scholarship Committee; or</li>
<li>a withdrawn failing grade from the class in which the additional offense occurred and placement in a restricted study hall after withdrawal from the course.</li>
</ol>

Furthermore, faculty members will have full access to any disciplinary records documenting academic dishonesty for the purpose of writing letters of recommendation.

Recommendation for expulsion

Students who are found guilty by school authorities of one or more of the following offenses may be recommended for expulsion:

<ol>
<li>theft, sales or distribution of any materials including, but not limited to, examinations and/or quizzes;</li>
<li>breaking into and/or examining a teachers personal possessions (e.g., desk, files, cabinet, etc.) to obtain or view evaluation instruments;</li>
<li>changing and/or falsifying a grade in a teachers gradebook, on the computer or through other school devices used to record student grades; or</li>
<li>unauthorized possession of a stolen evaluation instrument.</li>
</ol>

A student who is found guilty of an expellable offense, as noted above, may receive an X grade for the course as reported on the permanent record, whether or not the student is expelled from school. The X designation shall denote no course credit and shall be the equivalent of a failing grade (F) for purposes of calculating the students cumulative grade point average.

my-3-sons · March 27, 2006, 12:04pm

There was a big thread on this last year. Alot of people posted on how their schools handle this.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=61403&highlight=cheating[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=61403&highlight=cheating</a>

NJres · March 27, 2006, 1:04pm

In the other recent thread about cheating a parent described how girls at her hs would wear skirts on test day with answers written on their upper leg. No teacher, especially male, would challenge them. Personally I would be handing out sweatpants to every girl in a skirt as she entered my classroom on test day.

emeraldkity4 · March 27, 2006, 1:15pm

Personally I would be handing out sweatpants to every girl in a skirt as she entered my classroom on test day.
lol
I don’t know how big a school that you are considering the honor code for, but I think it would be very useful to get the students involved as to what things they think should be included.

Maybe you could have somethings written up and they could vote on/discuss them in homeroom?

jlauer95 · March 27, 2006, 3:02pm

The school is small but I know that other schools are facing this same issue so I thought that this thread could be useful for many who would like to “do something” to improve the cheating situation at their schools.

jlauer95 · March 27, 2006, 3:05pm

Recommendation from another thread:

Adding:

4) Essentially a three-strike policy:

a) Official warning (done because a teacher can’t always be sure);

b) Grade of zero on assignment, detention and parent-student conference with asst principal;

c) Grade of F in class, drop class and no chance to add a class. Grade goes on transcript. If class is required for graduation, it can be made up in summer, then two grades are averaged.

jlauer95 · March 27, 2006, 3:14pm

Another recommendation from another thread (reworded for space):

5) No Second Chance at this public school

a) First time cheating (or even assisting cheating):
i) you get a zero on the assignment
ii) an official note on your transcript,
iii) phone call home.

b) Second time cheating:
i) you’re expelled from that class
ii) An F on transcript for class – included in GPA
iii) 3 days OOS Suspension

c) Third time cheating:
i) Expulsion from school.

hoedown · March 27, 2006, 4:27pm

One of the keystones of the honor code at my college (admittedly, a different environment) was that knowing about an honor code violation, and not reporting it, was itself an honor code violation. That meant students who ‘ratted’ on others had a fair excuse: if this comes to light, it’s my hind end that might get in trouble, too. And the honor code violator knew they were putting that person in a pretty bad position (kind of a double-whammy).

Generally, anyone who suspected an honor violation told the involved person to turn themselves in to the Chair of the Judiciary Committee within 24 hours. They were supposed to follow up to make sure it happened.

I don’t know if the same sort of thing would work in a high school environment.

jlauer95 · March 27, 2006, 5:57pm

hoedown: You’re right about college being a different “environment”. In a high school, kids are more “vulnerable” to what their classmates think about them.

I would rather have a system where kids (or their parents) could anonymously report cheaters and their methods. This would give teachers a “heads up” as to who is cheating (and how) so that the teachers can catch the cheaters “in the act” and the kid “who told” is protectedl

cooljoe · March 27, 2006, 7:07pm

How do schools handle cheaters that make excuses like “the teacher never went over any of the stuff”?

bmanbs2 · March 27, 2006, 7:12pm

In all honesty, the only way you will stop cheeting is by not allowing a student to even see another student

kman1456 · March 27, 2006, 7:15pm

Why not just expel the student on the first infraction and bar them from being educated in any public or private academic high school?

bmanbs2 · March 27, 2006, 7:16pm

and if that policy was active in your day, would u have graduated?

kman1456 · March 27, 2006, 7:43pm

Yes, I will.
Not everyone makes use of loopholes.

ariesathena · March 28, 2006, 1:37am

The cornerstone of a good honour system, as stated above, really is having a requirement that those who witness cheating say something about it.

I would not worry too much about “plagerism” as missed quotes and footnoes. Before y’all jump all over me, let me explain. I think that an honour code is as strong as the weakest part of it. It is really, really hard to suspend a student for mis-citing a source, forgetting quotes, not indenting properly, or whatever. You’ll have almost no student support for a system that does that. Focus on the big stuff.

Consider having violations brought before a council made up of (respected) faculty members and students - and, of course, make it a violation in of itself for the “court” members to discuss what happens there.

The remedy for cheating (blatant, not “grey area” stuff) is simple: failure of that class. Straight-up F for the quarter.

I remember that the big issues in high school were:
*Students getting info about tests (what the problems were, what questions were asked) and then studying for those. 
*Having other people write papers for them.
*“Group work” on individual assignments. Those are the kinds of things that would really benefit from a reciprocal honour requirement: students who know about the “group” study for an assignment can turn in their peers, and the peers cannot play it off as a mistake.
*Copying homework that got graded credit.

My college did not have an honour system, but the math department had an ingenious homework grading system: if you completed 60% correctly, you received full credit. You were required to have at least tried the other problems. You were allowed to “miss” up to 10% of the assignments; after that, your grade started moving downwards. High completion rates would help your grade. That system really discourages cheating, because the benefit (or lack of punishment) is very small.

Consider having different punishments for students as they progress throughout high school - and perhaps different standards.

jlauer95 · March 28, 2006, 2:19am

bmanb:

cheating doesn’t always involvoe “other students”. Students can use cheat sheets, etc, without ever seeing another student.

No system will completely eliminate cheating. However, there must be systems that greatly reduce cheating. That is what we’re after. Once you reduce cheating, you reduce the feeling that “everyone is doing it” so it’s “ok”.

chicgeek · March 28, 2006, 2:51am

Not sure if this is mentioned but schools should require teachers to check students’ graphing calculators with all their programs (used to store information) and or even the test answers.

_Graceful_Spirit · March 28, 2006, 3:09am

All of my teacher do different versions of tests.

I think the most effective, but least practical, is to have each student take a different version of the test. 25 students = 25 versons. Each version of the test should have different questions, not just different question order.

Have tests with extensive critical thinking essays. Each student gets a different topic. If it’s math, explain what the s/he did to get to her answer and why. List special properties, describe graphs, etc.

And after the student sees the result, the teacher should collect the test back. Maybe not immediately, but soon enough for the test to not be copied and passed around for future students.

jlauer95 · March 28, 2006, 8:25am

Since many teachers use “book tests” (and I don’t have a problem with that), the book publishers may need to “help” by providing 2 or 3 “versions” of each chapter’s test. However, I would be hesitant to give lots of different questions on each version – then there will be arguments regarding who got the “harder” test. Also, curving tests that had different questions would be more difficult. (I would have no problem with publishers providing different versions so that a teacher can vary her tests year to year (to avoid the cheating method of saving tests so younger sibs can see the test that they will get next year).

I think I am more in favor of “scrambling” the questions so that it would be difficult for another student to find an answer on another’s paper.

Need ideas on how to stop CHEATING & start an effective HONOR CODE!

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