The Center for Academic Integrity (Duke University) reports that “on most campuses, over 75% of students admit to some cheating. In a 1999 survey of 2,100 students on 21 campuses across the country, about one-third of the participating students admitted to serious test cheating.” Given this, it behooves us as educators to learn as much as possible about cheating methods used by students. Forewarned is, after all, forearmed.
While the University of Central Florida, like any large university, uncovers its share of cheating by students, formal statistics on cheating methods are not presently kept. However, informal brainstorming of student cheating methods often proved useful in the training of new Graduate Teaching Assistants and adjunct faculty members, and a list of possible cheating styles grew organically from such inauspicious beginnings. While UCF does not at this time gather statistics on the frequency of each method, the list grows with each new method observed or idea supplied by participants during brainstorming. We do not inquire how the future teaching assistants and adjunct faculty members know of these methods new to our list, but content ourselves with having identified yet another technique against which we should guard.
The dual notions of detection and prevention inform the current incarnation of the list. Our hope is to not merely identify “after the fact” how students are cheating, but to list possible measures that might aid in detecting students’ academic dishonesty while it is in progress. After all, we can only hope to catch cheaters if we know how they are cheating. It is perhaps best of all to prevent cheating in the first place. Each method of cheating on the list lends itself to particular strategies in the classroom that, if enacted, would discourage students from even attempting to cheat. Dishonest students do not therefore reap unwarranted rewards, and ugly confrontations of all stripes are avoided, all at the cost of only extra vigilance when proctoring and the establishment of firm policies in the test environment.
Cheating Method |
Detection |
Prevention |
Using Other People |
1. Whispering: asking for and giving answers verbally |
listen at all times for student whispering. |
use multiple proctors; wander incessantly. Stand close to anyone whispering |
2. Wandering eyes: looking over the shoulder of someone or to the side |
watch for wandering eyes, looking out of corner of eyes |
use multiple proctors; wander incessantly |
3. Passing notes: scribbles on paper |
watch for contact between people |
space them out; leave blank chairs in between |
4. Sign language: use hand gestures (especially fingers for numbers) to communicate with others |
watch for movement of hands |
use multiple proctors; wander incessantly |
5. Morse code – voice: use coughing or sneezing a set number of times to communicate an answer |
listen for rhythmic and repetitious noises; be wary of coughing |
demonstrate extra interest (go closer) when students cough |
6. Morse code – nonverbal: use sounds like stamping feet, tapping pencil, etc. to communicate an answer |
listen for rhythmic and repetitious noises |
demonstrate extra interest (go closer) when rhythmic noises persist |
7. Misdirection: one person distracts the proctor(s) while others cheat |
use multiple proctors; heightened alertness when a distraction occurs |
use multiple proctors; heightened alertness when a distraction occurs |
| Using the Body or Environment |
8. Write on body: ink written on body part, perhaps covered by long sleeves |
watch for furtive movements. Beware not just sleeves, but under socks or even down shirts |
use multiple proctors; wander incessantly |
9. Write on desk: especially when written in pencil for easy wiping later |
watch student eyes; are they moving the test back and forth across the desk? |
examine desks before class, watch for scribbling just before test distribution |
10. Cheat sheet: prewritten cheat sheet, usually small font, hidden in clothes or under wristwatch |
observe student hand movements |
use multiple proctors; wander incessantly. OR: allow cheat sheets and design test for application, not facts |
11. Cheat sheet on floor: prewritten cheat sheet hidden in book or under folders that are below the desk |
observe student foot movements; watch for students looking down |
require books/notes in backpack, not under desk |
12. Cheat sheet in bag: prewritten cheat sheet in backpack; accessed when getting new pen |
beware of “fetching a new writing utensil or eraser” |
consider requiring bags be placed in a pile at the front of the room |
13. Bathroom: leave with permission; get notes pre-hidden in bathroom (or from a friend waiting outside lecture hall) |
send a proctor to follow the student within reason |
scan bathroom for hiding spots before test. OR: do not allow bathroom breaks? |
14. Chewing gum: write cheats on stick of gum in ink; pop into mouth if endangered (evidence is gone) |
wander room incessantly |
use multiple proctors; wander incessantly—cheaters will get scared and eat gum sooner than if you never wandered |
15. Baby wipes: write on the body in ink, but have an alcohol wipe ready to remove evidence quickly |
watch for students looking at skin under clothing or have moist towelettes handy |
wander hall BEFORE exam so cheaters get nervous and wipe away the cheats |
16. Invisible ink: visible only with a certain kind of handheld pen light |
watch for a tiny light being used secretively |
patrol the room regularly |
17. Water bottle: remove label, write cheats on inside with small font, re-attach. Water acts as magnifying lens |
watch for students staring intently into water bottles |
require bottles remain on floor and not be used during the test |
18. Baseball cap: reading the underside of the brim |
watch for wandering eyes |
remove all hats |
19. Sunglasses: cheats pasted or written on inside of dark sunglasses |
observe carefully any sunglasses that stay on during the test |
require all sunglasses be removed |
20. Barrel pens: pens with a small window and click to rotate messages can have a “safe” setting and use the other click settings to write cheats |
be suspicious of the pen-click noise |
stand near any student clicking out of the ordinary |
21. Bra: cheat sheet stuck into center of bra, visible only when looking down into blouse |
difficult to spot without sexual harassment; watch student eye movements; better to prevent than catch |
use multiple proctors; wander incessantly |
22. Leg fan: cheat sheet folded like a fan and taped to inside thighs; when hike up skirt and open legs, cheats are visible only to the cheater |
difficult to spot without sexual harassment; watch student eye movements; better to prevent than catch |
use multiple proctors; wander incessantly |
| Using Technology |
23. Cell-Texting: type out a text message to someone else in class (or even at home) and get silent text reply |
watch for cell phone usage of any kind |
prohibit cell phones in test environment |
24. Cell-Photo: take photo of test question, send to someone at home, get silent text reply |
watch for cell phone usage of any kind |
prohibit cell phones in test environment |
25. Calculator-Program: type in formulas or cheats into calculator before test begins |
patrol room frequently; watch for frantic clearing of calculator results; watch for “flipping through” calculator read-out |
prohibit calculators in test environment
OR: ask department to invest in a box of “simple” calculators to share for tests |
26. Calculator-Sharing: program cheats ahead of time and let someone else use the calculator during the test |
watch for sharing of calculators |
prohibit calculators in test environment
OR: ask department to invest in a box of “simple” calculators to share for tests |
27. iPod-Professor: listen to recorded lecture during the test; possible to hide earphone wires behind long hair |
scan for earphone wires; patrol room nonstop |
prohibit iPod usage; require it to be placed into backpack below desk |
28. iPod-Student: pre-record yourself saying formulas and cheats; listen during test |
scan for earphone wires; patrol room nonstop |
prohibit iPod usage; require it to be placed into backpack below desk |
| Other Methods |
29. Mutilate: Erase, cross out, crease, fold, cover over (even with Chapstick) “non-answer” parts of the Scantron form to confuse the machine and guarantee a 100% score (note: none of the methods work all the time) |
watch for any alterations of Scantron form |
patrol the room often. Also, erase any pencil markings over the pre-printed black lines along the side of the Scantron (the most common method). Also, hand-score any suspicious Scantrons. |
30. Shades of Gray: guess about multiple answers in the same line, all in gray so you have a chance to get lucky. Also possible to erase the wrong answers if you get the form back, and make a case for the machine not seeing your answer |
give a cursory glance to all Scantrons before being scored; make a note of students who left multiple answers potentially filled in. Also: it helps to photocopy such Scantrons before scoring them, as a record |
do not hand back Scantrons. Report student grades to them electronically instead |
31. Lie About Answer: Leave answer blank entirely, but bubble in the correct answer in “gray” when the form comes back, and claim the machine didn’t read it |
make a photocopy of any Scantrons that have blank spaces |
do not hand back Scantrons. Report student grades to them electronically instead |
32. Duplicate Scantrons: have a smart friend take the test on two forms but keep one. In next hour, you turn in his/her form as your own |
watch for someone filling in two Scantrons during the test, perhaps one on top of the other. |
use a different version of the test for each class section (or at least re-order the questions) |
33. Steal Questions: keep the question packet and give it to someone who will take the test later in the day |
watch how students pack up at the end of the test, and keep an eye out for questions being stuffed into bags |
require return of questions; verify that every student turning in answers also turns in questions sheet |
34. Bank Questions: memorize questions from last year’s test, saved by a friend or a social (Greek) organization |
detect pattern of sudden perfect scores for a student whose grades were much worse previously |
change the test every semester—more than just the order of questions! |
35. Publisher’s Questions: contact the textbook publisher and pose as an instructor; request test bank |
detect pattern of sudden perfect scores for a student whose grades were much worse previously |
don’t use the publisher’s test bank |
36. Feign Illness: after seeing test, get permission to go home sick and take the same test later |
detect pattern of sudden perfect scores for a student whose grades were much worse previously |
use different questions on make-up exams |
37. Bluetooth: use the ear-only receiver to hear answers over the phone |
witness student whispering at no one, or blinking light from hair |
scan to verify you can see the ears of all students |
38. Teenager Frequency: use the tone audible only to people under 20 as a cell phone ring tone, and then receive text messages |
watch for cell phone usage of any kind |
prohibit cell phones in test environment |
39. Rubber Band: write cheats on a rubber band that is stretched out. When relaxed, the writing is disguised |
watch for hands moving suspiciously |
patrol the room frequently |
40. Ringer: send in an expert to take the test for you and write down your name |
check ID when Scantron is handed in |
tell students you will check ID when Scantron is handed in |
Reading the list, one is struck by patterns that repeat multiple times. Detecting student cheating is often a matter of being extremely aware of where the students are looking, which implies a need to watch their eyes almost constantly (this may also prove to be the most effective method of prevention, as they will be aware of the extra attention). If that’s true, proctors are highly advised to avoid bringing along any work of their own to the exam. Proctoring actively is a full-time activity that requires complete concentration to be done effectively.
The other pattern that leaps out from the list is one of noise and distraction. Proctors need to use their ears as well as their eyes. While whispering may be one of the most common forms of cheating, it’s hardly the most intricate. iPods raise the ante, but the truly insidious methods involve misdirection and multiple students forming a distraction. Any sound disruptions in the room should heighten the proctor’s sense of alertness.
When it comes to preventing cheating, which ought to be the real goal, much of the advice depends upon proctors roaming the test room frequently. For large classes, the use of multiple proctors is highly encouraged. It may not be easy to obtain paid proctors, so it is recommended that instructors in the same discipline or department agree to help each other proctor “for free” as a joint service.
With cheating so prevalent, at least according to national statistics, it behooves us as educators to do all we can to prevent it (minimize its presence), or failing that, to detect it (minimize its effectiveness). The very quality of undergraduate education depends on our success in this endeavor.
