Make sure your students know the penalties for academic dishonesty.
Ask students to store backpacks, books, or binders underneath their chairs.
Glance at their arms, hands and hats to make sure there aren’t any notes written on those areas. Be wary of students who are constantly pulling their long sleeves down to cover more of their arms. Keep in mind that many students are anxious when they come into an exam. Don’t automatically assume that someone who looks nervous is going to cheat. However, it can’t hurt to keep a closer eye on said students. In addition, don’t assume a student who doesn’t appear worried is not going to cheat. Some students have cheated many times before and became adept at their methods, so they may be more confident about the test.
Monitor the students carefully by walking around the classroom throughout the exam. Use at least two different versions of the exam so students sitting next to each other do not have the same version. [2] X Research source This can more simply be done by changing the order of the questions. For example, say you have 8 seats, Seats 1, 3, 5, and 7 get version 1. Seats 2, 4, 6, and 8 get version 2.
Students might have different signs for different answers; for example, on a multiple choice test, if the answer is A, they might tap their pencil. If the answer is B, they might shuffle their test around, and so on. Many people tap their feet or fidget when nervous, and a coughing or sniffing student may have picked up a cold, so don’t immediately assume such actions mean a student is helping others to cheat.
Many students are quite savvy about this strategy, bringing alcohol wipes to remove pen ink from their skin before turning in their test. Some students might try writing notes on their legs. They will then wear pants, shorts or a skirt of a particular length that covers the writing, but can be inched upwards to reveal the notes. Teachers should be wary of challenging a student who has writing on their legs; a student might cite sexual harassment if you are looking at his/her legs. [4] X Research source Look for writing on clothing. Many students will wear hats to an exam or test and will write notes on the bill of the hat. Ask students to remove hats or turn them around so that you foil their attempts at reading their notes. Other articles of clothing are often used in cheating, such as scarves, sweaters, coats, sunglasses, and so on.
Other students have been known to write notes on very small pieces of paper and store them rolled up in a pen with a clear body.
Some students cheat by planting notes in bathrooms before a test, then visiting the bathroom during the test to look at them. Have a teaching assistant check nearby bathrooms for suspicious notes just as the test begins.
Another option is to ask your department to buy simple calculators that can be used for exams or tests. This way, students will not need to bring their own. If it is prohibitively expensive to buy calculators for students, you can instruct students to clear their calculators, and check if they have done so.
A common trick students use to hide wired earbuds is to put an earbud through the sleeve of a jacket/long sleeved shirt and hold it to their ear. Others may hide wireless earbuds under their hair or a head accessory, such as a hat or sweatband.
Some cell phone detectors are sensitive enough to allow teachers to walk around the classroom and identify active cell phone use based on proximity. This may indicate false positives, as some apps actively use data. You can prevent this by instructing students to switch their phones completely off during the test, rather than just leaving them on lock.
Search online for suspect passages from your student’s paper. Oftentimes, you’ll find the exact same passage in Wikipedia or another website.
Many students buy papers from “paper mills” or “essay mills,” which are websites and other services which sell essays for a fee. If your student’s paper is phenomenal, they might have purchased the essay from one of these services. It is difficult to prove this, however, so proceed with caution.
For example, keep an eye on students who leave your first period class after a test or exam. If they walk a little with a second period student, they may be sharing answers or passing cheat sheets. Creating a different version of the test for each period can prevent cheating by means of students from an earlier period sharing answers.
Some course management systems, such as Blackboard, have an option of letting students email each other without the instructor seeing the emails. Change the preferences so that you also see the emails that students send out through the system.
Create and memorize complex passwords for the computer and grade book log-ins; do not write this information on paper.
If you found plagiarism in your student’s paper, try to locate the original passage by searching online. Photocopy a random sample of exams, tests, or major assignments before returning them to students. A common temptation for cheaters is submitting a modified exam for a regrade, especially if they are close and want to be moved across a grade boundary.
Alternately, use the same version of the exam or test but photocopy them on different colored paper and tell the students that there are two versions. However, show them the tests (don’t let the students see the questions) and put them in front of them (on a blank page). Don’t use color-coding methods if any students would look for others with the same color. Do not label the exam version on the test. This will make it easier for students to find who has the same version.
Portfolios are often a good way for students to demonstrate mastery, as they can show how they have grasped concepts and improved over time.
