Is using quizlet to study Nclex questions cheating?

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Hey everyone, I'm new here. I have a problem at my school.

I just finished my 3rd semester of nursing and I been studying really hard. I been reading books, listening to recorded lecture, practicing NCLEX questions using NCLEX books. Anyways, I been using Quizlet.com to supplement my studies and found that some of the questions on my test are exactly word for word. Because of this, I was able to do well on some of my tests and even managed to get 100% on one of them.

My nursing program is saying that I'm using a test bank and that I am cheating. I had to meet with a person that deals with the student code of conduct. Obviously I denied having some kind of test bank. I was told that just a presumption of cheating is grounds for being removed from the program and I have to go in front of board members or some kind of ethics committee to explain myself.

The thing is, I don't have a test bank nor did I know the the questions prior to the test. I did not know that questions I found on quizlet would be exactly the questions used on the test. Some questions were also pulled from some of the NCLEX books I've been reviewing.

So my question is.... do you think using quizlet is cheating?

Quizlet has lots of great questions in flashcard format. Maybe they are pulled from a test bank, I wouldn't know. All I know is that I used it to study and there were question that matched what were on my exams.

I really don't know what to do at this point. I don't believe I cheated but the school thinks otherwise.

In most universities the students are given information in the student handbook concerning copyright laws and what is allowable or not. The use of material intended for those teaching the class (test banks) falls under copyright infringement. Ignorance of the law, or how the material was originally obtained does not provide the student with adequate defense. So yes, it can be considered cheating even if you did not realize that the questions you were using from an online open source were in fact from a test bank that happened to be the one your school used. (Ignorance of the law is not always a valid defense) Next time, be smart and use known sources, those that are free and/or have disclaimers that state they can't monitor their site postings may lead you into serious trouble.

Specializes in ER, ICU, Education.

As an instructor, there is no way that I would consider what the OP has done to be cheating, unless the OP continues to use the site. It is a naïve instructor who uses test bank questions word-for-word. These banks are out there and easily obtained. This does give an unfair advantage to cheaters if the instructor uses these questions. This raises several frustrating issues:

1. If you write your own questions, it takes time to establish reliability and validity of the test items. Some questions that have a poor item-analysis will be thrown out.

2. How do you level the playing field for all students?

3. How do you make sure that those who have simply cheated & don't know the material aren't able to graduate & harm the public with their lack of knowledge?

My solution? I started offering optional study sessions, during which the students and I work through many of the test bank items together. I have them explain their rationale for choosing or not choosing an answer. I teach them test-taking skills. For the exam, we write all of our own questions. I attend test item writing workshops to keep my skill up to date. I focus on items covered heavily in lecture & readings that the cheaters usually won't pick up on because they're too busy surfing the internet. I also grill the heck out of students in the clinical setting. It is readily apparent who is not ready to care for their patient. Those students are sent home with an unsatisfactory grade.

It also took me years to realize this, but I have to learn to do two very contradictory things: assume that anyone and everyone will cheat given the chance, and yet still treat every student with respect and challenge them to learn and be their best.

I have no sympathy for cheaters. If I catch them, I flunk them. They are the reason that each exam is run like a police state (no hats, hoodies, water bottles, personal items, etc), and no doubt most cheated in pre-req courses, meaning their spot in school should be someone else's. I'd rather have someone further down the acceptance list who is honest any day of the week.

Specializes in hoping for the ER/ED.

My question regards how they are saying you cheated. Is this your first and only 100%? Are you consistently getting mediocre grades and this was a huge jump up? What made them think you cheated? Do they write their own test questions? I use Quizlet (both using others and making my own) but I know my teachers make their own questions. What was the red flag so to speak?

My question is exactly what Becca asked, how do they justify ASSUMING that you cheated????

Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
My question is exactly what Becca asked how do they justify ASSUMING that you cheated????[/quote']

The OP has only been back once since starting this thread back in January. (Nearly a year ago) so I suspect we won't ever get more details of the accusation than we did from the original post.

Does anyone else find it odd that the CON is trying to kick this person out of school for using copy written material when the profs are doing the same? Shouldn't professors be held to the same standard and write their own test questions, not "steal/borrow" them from some other source?

Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

Test banks give academic institutions and educators limited license to use the questions & material in an educational setting. This is one of the reasons test banks cost so much

I am fully aware that that is excepted practice (permission being granted to these institutions to use these materials). However, it seems like if you are trying to teach someone to furnish their own product as their own, they'd heed their own advice and do the same. Just my two cents.

Edit- test banks don't cost a lot, which is why so many nursing students/ students get their hands on them. A quick search online can garner you a test bank for $5 from a less than reputable seller. I used to be a secondary educator and my students would blatantly tell me that which is one of many reasons that I would never advocate using them to create an exam.

As an instructor there is no way that I would consider what the OP has done to be cheating, unless the OP continues to use the site. It is a naïve instructor who uses test bank questions word-for-word. These banks are out there and easily obtained. This does give an unfair advantage to cheaters if the instructor uses these questions. This raises several frustrating issues: 1. If you write your own questions, it takes time to establish reliability and validity of the test items. Some questions that have a poor item-analysis will be thrown out. 2. How do you level the playing field for all students? 3. How do you make sure that those who have simply cheated & don't know the material aren't able to graduate & harm the public with their lack of knowledge? My solution? I started offering optional study sessions, during which the students and I work through many of the test bank items together. I have them explain their rationale for choosing or not choosing an answer. I teach them test-taking skills. For the exam, we write all of our own questions. I attend test item writing workshops to keep my skill up to date. I focus on items covered heavily in lecture & readings that the cheaters usually won't pick up on because they're too busy surfing the internet. I also grill the heck out of students in the clinical setting. It is readily apparent who is not ready to care for their patient. Those students are sent home with an unsatisfactory grade. It also took me years to realize this, but I have to learn to do two very contradictory things: assume that anyone and everyone will cheat given the chance, and yet still treat every student with respect and challenge them to learn and be their best. I have no sympathy for cheaters. If I catch them, I flunk them. They are the reason that each exam is run like a police state (no hats, hoodies, water bottles, personal items, etc), and no doubt most cheated in pre-req courses, meaning their spot in school should be someone else's. I'd rather have someone further down the acceptance list who is honest any day of the week.[/quote']

You sound like a truly remarkable educator. From my past experience, these methods seemed to cultivate a much deeper and long-term understanding of content. Kudos to you for doing your job and then some!

Specializes in ICU.

That's ridiculous. Instructors should understand that students will use any available resource to study. It's not like you broke into a teacher's office and stole paperwork - you looked up free questions on the internet. Maybe they should write their own questions instead of taking questions from a test bank. Just a thought. What morons. I would sue the school if they tried to fail me/kick me out over me using a free resource on the internet that was in no way connected to the school.

The program pays a user's fee to use the test bank (usually included in the students' purchase price of the textbook) so they are neither stealing nor borrowing. (my wife is a college counselor and adjunct instructor).

I don't think using quizlet is cheating at all because the material might be what your studying but it is not a test bank where you are going to see every question on your test. If i seen one from quizlet when i was doing my test it was rare.

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