Cheating?

[GrnHonu99]

Hi everyone....

Just had a question for you guys....how do your instructors handle cheating? At my school the instructors are sooo strict about cheating even though we really havent given them any reason to think that we would do that.

I understand sitting every other seat and such but my school goes to the extent that they watch us like hawks and make us put our cell phones and bags in the front of the room. There are only 28 of us in the entire program.

We had a whole class on cheating and were told that if we were caught cheating we would be dismissed from the program (which I dont disagree with). They run our papers through some computer program that scans the internet for plagerims too. The school I did my undergrad in was definetly not as strict...just wondering how strict other programs were about this and what precautions/ramifications the instructors take?

[GrnHonu99, RN]

I posted this already in another thread I started, but it keeps logging me out and I can't read any replies.

So, I'll ask all of you here.

In my A&P1 class, we had a lecture exam yesterday, and there were two girls cheating!!!!!

They sit one behind the other and several students saw them. Although I don't think the instructor did, because he grades other tests while we are testing.

What would all of you do? Because, this kinda makes me mad, when I bust my hump to keep an A in that class, and it is NOT easy to do!!!

I know that it will eventually catch up with them, but in the meantime, they are getting A's (maybe), and not doing the work that I or other students are.

Should one of us tell on them?

Thanks for your input.

I would. You can do it anonymously....it's not fair when you study for days and days and them some lazy student decides that she/he is just going to cheat...even if you don't tell, most likely, eventually it will catch up with them...partic. in nursing school when you have to know anatomy!

[pixie-dust37]

Yeah, I know if they keep it up, it will really hurt them. But I think I'm going to send the instructor an anonymous e-mail and let him know that cheating has been going on. Maybe he will actually watch the class during tests then.

[Fun2, BSN, RN]

Yeah, I know if they keep it up, it will really hurt them. But I think I'm going to send the instructor an anonymous e-mail and let him know that cheating has been going on. Maybe he will actually watch the class during tests then.

That was my comment on the other post. Good luck to you. :)

[pixie-dust37]

That was my comment on the other post. Good luck to you. :)

Yea, I saw "part" of your comment on my e-mail. But I couldn't get to my original thread because it keeps logging me out when I go to it. (technical difficulties or something)

So, I took your advice and made a fake e-mail at yahoo and sent an anonymous e-mail to my teacher. I sure hope he starts to watch during tests now.

Thanks for the idea.

[tmd76]

Sounds a lot like our school. We have to put backpacks down as we come in, and all tests are on the computer with screens on them so that if the person next to you looks over at your computer, all they see is a black screen. I think that has become the standard for all nursing schools now....not that cheating would help you when it comes time for the NCLEX anyway, so I am not sure why anyone would try.

[DusktilDawn]

I'm curious whether to others think of this as cheating. I'm going to withhold my thoughts on it and what my friend did about it:

We just got our first exam back in Micro. Passing is an 80%. I passed with an 84%. A friend of mine missed the class before our exam, as her 5yo son was having surgery. He was in the hospital for 5 days, and came home 2 days before the exam. My friend stayed with her son in the hospital the whole time, which is in another state.

My friend takes the exam, but does tell the prof that it won't be representative of her best work, as she didn't have time to study as she wanted. She got a 74% on the exam when they were handed back.

We went over the exams in class, and were told to check the prof's math (adding up our own scores to make sure they're right). My friend realized that she did not get a 74, but instead a 66.

I know many people would not say anything regarding a lower score. Do you feel it's cheating not to say anything? Does her extenuating circumstances factor in to whether she should say anything or not? And if she didn't tell, do *I* have the obligation to say something to the prof if I know the grade is incorrect?

Wow, I can see where one would be tempted not to say anything.

I consider cheating the act of not earning what you have been given credit for. I would say something to an instructor if it was me. I don't think I could look myself in the mirror if I took credit for something I do not deserve. I view taking credit something not earned to be cheating. Depending on one's actions after learning there was an adding error on a test determines whether they are cheating IMHO.

When I was a student, our instructors made it very clear that if we were aware of cheating going on and by not reporting it, that was also considered cheating. In regards to this situation Whitney, your friend has now made you part of this ethical dilemma. If she is honest and reports the miscalculation, you don't have a problem. If she chooses not to, now you could be considered an enabler/accomplice. Frankly I would place the ball back into their court in this situation. The option would be either you be honest about it or I will.

I'm guessing your friend was honest and reported this to the instructor.

[thatoneguy]

i think you guys are asking for it by telling. its only a grade on one test not worth risking your life. but hey take your chances. just remember if they are desperate enough to cheat and you telling ended their dream and caused all kinds of problems for them they just might blame you for all their problems. or that might push a person to take their own life. you dont know the mental state of that person. the question i would ask my self is why were you looking. was this not a test. sure seems your working hard to knock down someone while thinking of make your "A's" more noticed. hummm think about it.

[SFCardiacRN]

A couple of years ago, two brothers got caught cheating on the NCLEX. The result was a permanent ban on ever getting an RN license. Cheaters deserve what ever they get and do not belong in nursing!!!

[pixie-dust37]

i think you guys are asking for it by telling. its only a grade on one test not worth risking your life. but hey take your chances. just remember if they are desperate enough to cheat and you telling ended their dream and caused all kinds of problems for them they just might blame you for all their problems. or that might push a person to take their own life. you dont know the mental state of that person. the question i would ask my self is why were you looking. was this not a test. sure seems your working hard to knock down someone while thinking of make your "A's" more noticed. hummm think about it.

Ummmm, not really. I am in no way trying to make myself look better by noticing that someone else is cheating!! geesh, that doesn't even make any sense!

I am however, really P.O.'d when I am leaving the room after taking a test and see someone else whispering the answers to the person right in front of them. I was not even looking at them during the test, I was staring straight down at MY paper, so I could get that "A"

Doesn't it even bother you at all when you have studied your rear off and see someone else just getting the answers "told" to them???????

By the way, I sent an anonymous e-mail to my instructor, so they won't even know it's me!!

[pixie-dust37]

A couple of years ago, two brothers got caught cheating on the NCLEX. The result was a permanent ban on ever getting an RN license. Cheaters deserve what ever they get and do not belong in nursing!!!

AMEN!!!!! I agree 100%!!! What comes around goes around.

[DusktilDawn]

i think you guys are asking for it by telling. its only a grade on one test not worth risking your life. but hey take your chances. just remember if they are desperate enough to cheat and you telling ended their dream and caused all kinds of problems for them they just might blame you for all their problems. or that might push a person to take their own life. you dont know the mental state of that person. the question i would ask my self is why were you looking. was this not a test. sure seems your working hard to knock down someone while thinking of make your "A's" more noticed. hummm think about it.

Seemingly happy people take their lives, people get killed cutting off the wrong person on the freeway BTW. It's about honor and integrity. People aren't on "cheater alert" for the purpose of "brownie points" with the teach. It becomes another's issue when the cheater involves them, even if it is inadvertent (ie: you happen to notice, which is usually the case), now it becomes your issue of honor and integrity.

The vast majority of cheaters, are looking for a short-cut, the easy-way, rarely does desparation play a role their actions, and yes depending on how a course is graded, they can affect EVERYONE'S grade. If a course is graded on a curve, guess what, someone who busted their butt studying and choose NOT TO cheat (despite the fact they may not be the best at taking tests, heck maybe they even have actual difficulties when it comes to tests) may now have their mark adversely affected because of a cheater and now maybe they cannot achieve their dream. The cheater moves on and the honest person is left behind.

The issue reporting cheating is not about knocking someone down so one can reign supreme on "A MOUNTAIN."

Seriously, do you want someone that lacks honor and integrity taking care of you in the hospital?

These are the people that will fudge their documentation, cover their butt possibly at the expense of another, and possibly place patients in danger either by lack of knowledge or the inability to admit a mistake. These are the ones who will look for the easy-way to do things, take short-cuts with patient care, put the least possible effort into their job.

Hummmm think about it.

[thatoneguy]

Doesn't it even bother you at all when you have studied your rear off and see someone else just getting the answers "told" to them???????

na dosent bother me at all. as long as i am getting the grade i earned. if i work hard and earn a A then i am happy. someone elses grade doesnt matter at all, their grade doesnt reflect me or my efforts in any way. i went to school to learn and thats what i did. telling on someone why?? whats the purpose? doesnt change anything for you. it all comes out in the wash anyway. i do however think if your caught you should be kicked out. but i see no reason for me to go out of my way in a effort to bring shame to someone else in a class setting. why not be a team player and talk to the students you saw cheating and offer you help? if you really care instead of trying to get rid of them try to help them. i bet if you help them they will be less likely to cheat in the future. JMO