Academic Integrity - A Research Update

1. Academic Integrity - A Research Update Center for Academic Integrity Texas A&M October 20, 2001

2. Cheating starts early & grows • Study of single school district in NJ (1999) • % who have copied on a test, let other copy homework, submitted work done by parents

3. It’s nothing new!

4. 2001 High School Survey • Almost 4500 students completed a written survey in the 2000-2001 school year • These students represented 25 schools around the country - 14 public, 11 private • In class survey - 92% of students receiving surveys provided a useable response • 52% of respondents were in 11th grade - 17% in 9th, 16% in 10th & 15% in 12th

5. Major Conclusions • Cheating is widespread • Students find it easy to rationalize cheating • The Internet is raising new questions • Students feel that many teachers ignore cheating, at least on occasion • Students cheat for a variety of reasons.

6. Cheating Is Widespread • 74% of respondents reported one or more instances of serious test cheating • 72% reported one or more instances of serious cheating on written work • 97% report at least one questionable activity (copying homework to test copying) • More than 30% of respondents admit to repetitive, serious cheating on tests/exams

7. Students Rationalize Cheating • “If teachers taught better we wouldn’t have to cheat.” (12th grader in MA) • “Maybe schools and parents should focus on learning instead of grades.” (MI- 11th) • “Cheating is a part of high school.” (NJ-12th grade) • “You do what it takes to succeed in life. We’re afraid to fail.” (OH-11th grade)

8. Plagiarism & The Internet • 15% have submitted a paper obtained in large part from a term paper mill/website • 52% have copied a few sentences from a website w/o citing the source • 90% of the students using the Internet to plagiarize have also plagiarized from written sources. (The Web has ‘created’ few new cheaters - 6% of all students.)

9. Plagiarism & The Internet • The technologies and sites available are almost endless - on-line Cliff Notes, language translators, HW chat rooms, etc. • Many students are not sure whether submitting material downloaded from the Internet is cheating.

10. Do Teachers Ignore Cheating? • 47% of students think teachers do sometimes ignore cheating. • The major reasons: • Don’t want to deal with hassle (18%) • Don’t care (11%) • Not worth trouble on small assignments (7%)

11. Why Students Cheat • Lazy/don’t study/didn’t prepare 32% • To pass/get good grades 29% • Pressures to succeed 12% • Don’t know answers/understand 9% • Time pressure (too much work) 5% • Other 13%

12. Many students don’t consider these behaviors cheating • Working on assignments with 71% others when told not to • Copying few sentences w/o citation 57% • Turn in work done by parents 53% • Got Q/A from someone who 50% has already taken the test/exam

13. Random Student Comments “Unless someone makes teachers care about cheating, it won’t be stopped.” “It is unfair that teachers don’t take it seriously b/c then the honest students get the bad end of the deal.” “Cheating will always exist as long as parents place the emphasis on grades rather than learning. The parent-student relation adds greatly to the dumbing down of America.”

14. Random Student Comments “I think that cheating has become so common that it’s starting to become ‘normal’ in some cases.” “There is no way of stopping it. Only the students themselves have the power to do so. Restrictions aren’t the problem, but the morals of students sure are.”

15. Recent College Research • 1990 - 6,073 students at 31 schools (Codes) • 1993 - 1,793 students at 9 public universities • 1995 - 4,273 students at 31 schools (Replication) • 1999 - Students/faculty at 21 schools (Templeton) • 2001/2 - Assessment Project Survey

16. Caveats - College Research • Self-report data • Low (and decreasing) response rates • Changing definition of cheating???? • Increasing % of female respondents

17. Profile of Participating Schools 19951993 CodeNo Code N 14 17 9 Enrollment 3407 3442 12239 Mean SAT 1249 1236 1027 % Off Campus 16 20 66 Respondents 3013 3083 1793

18. Traditional Honor Codes • Unproctored exams • Pledge • Student judiciary • Non-toleration

19. Profile of Participating Schools - 1999 Modified No CodeCodeCode N 9 3 9 Enrollment 5226 17487 5523 Mean SAT 1207 1145 1081 % Off Campus 39% 76% 59% Respondents 1080 376 776

20. Modified Honor Codes • Student judiciary • Pledge • Academic integrity a campus-wide priority • Rehabilitative sanctions

21. Institutional Factors That Influence Cheating • Cheating is campus norm (cheating culture) • School has no honor code • Penalties for cheating are not severe • Faculty understanding/support of academic integrity policies is low • Little chance of getting caught • Cheating higher at larger, less selective schools

22. Personal Factors That Influence Cheating • Business/engineering majors • Future plans involve business • Men generally self-report more cheating • Fraternity/sorority members • Younger students • Students with lower GPA’s

23. Summary Cheating Indicators 199319951999CodeNCCodeModNC Test Cheating 64% 30% 45% 23% 36% 45% Written Cheating 66% 42% 58% 45% 51% 56% Serious Cheating 82% 54% 71% 53% 61% 68% All Cheating 87% 62% 83% 68% 73% 83% Repeat Test Cheating 27% 7% 17% 6% 11% 17% N 1793 2303 1970 1091 376 763

24. Summary Cheating Indicators -Student vs. Faculty Perspectives StudentsFaculty Test Cheating 23% - 45% 29% - 55% Written Cheating 45% - 56% 76% - 83% Serious Cheating 53% - 68% 81% - 90% All Cheating 68% - 83% 85% - 91% Repetitive Test 6% - 17% 6% - 21%

25. Most frequent types of test/examination cheating 199919631993CodeModNC Copied on exam 26% 52% 15% 24% 32% Used crib notes 6% 27% 9% 13% 19% Helped other 23% 37% 10% 19% 26% Pretest info* 33% 29% 28% 38% 54%*1963 & 1999 = “Q/A” 1993 = “Unfair methods”

26. Most frequent types of written cheating 1999 19631993CodeModNC Collaboration 11% 49% 40% 43% 49% No footnoting 49% 54% 36% 42% 45% Plagiarism 30% 26% 14% 19% 19%

27. Serious CheatingStudents vs. Faculty StudentsFaculty Copying on exam/crib notes 78% 95% Help other on test 72% 94% Plagiarism 69% 92% Collaboration 24% 52% Failure to footnote 35% 40% Falsify lab data 49% 95% Paper ‘mill’/Internet plagiarism 70% 90%

28. New technologies are an issue • Downloading papers from the Internet • 5% - 10% admit they’ve done it and one-quarter don’t think it’s serious cheating • Internet plagiarism • 10% - 20% have cut and pasted material into a paper without citing the source and almost half don’t think it’s serious cheating

29. http://www.turnitin.com

30. Students are notlikely to report others CodeModNC % who think typical student would report 35% 19% 13% % who think typical student would report a close friend 9% 3% 2% Actual reporting* 14% 13% 10% * (Includes anonymous reporting and general reporting - e.g., not naming alleged cheater)

31. Why Students HaveDifficulty Reporting CodeModNC Not my concern/respons. 14% 16% 27% Don’t want to be a rat 15% 11% 15% Don’t want to get involved 7% 9% 8% Friend 11% 8% 4% Lack proof 10% 9% 5%

32. Faculty Safeguards Against Cheating CodeModNC Change exams regularly 70% 82% 79% Discuss imp. of integrity 55% 59% 63% Information in syllabus 52% 61% 57% Remind students of policy 60% 47% 48% Different versions of exams 28% 42% 49%

33. Faculty self-reports of reactions to serious cheating • 55% have reprimanded a student • 40% have lowered a student’s grade • 30% referred to appropriate authority • 21% have referred issue to Chair • 6% have reacted in some other way • 32% have done nothing!

34. Faculty satisfaction withhandling of cheating reports CodeMod.NC Satisfied 61% 53% 51% Very satisfied 20% 25% 20% Unsatisfied 19% 22% 29% N 124 55 174

35. Feel Campus Academic Integrity Policy is Effective StudentsFaculty No Code 56% 30% Modified Code 63% 25% Code 64% 53%

36. Some Possible Resources

37. “Academic Integrity: 10 Principles” McCabe & Pavela December 1997 Principles of academic integrity for faculty.

38. Principles of Academic Integrity for Faculty • Foster an environment of trust in the classroom. Most students are mature adults, and value an environment free of arbitrary rules and trivial assignments, where trust is earned, and given.

39. Principles of AcademicIntegrity for Faculty • Encourage student responsibility for academic integrity. Students want to work in communities where competition is fair, integrity is respected, and cheating is punished.

40. Principles of AcademicIntegrity for Faculty • Clarify expectations for students.Faculty must clarify their expectations regarding honesty in academic work, including the nature and scope of collaboration. Most students want such guidance.

41. Principles of AcademicIntegrity for Faculty • Reduce opportunities to engage in academic dishonesty.Students should not be tempted to engage in acts of academic dishonesty by ambiguous policies, undefined or unrealistic standards for collaboration, inadequate classroom management, or poor examination security.

42. Principles of AcademicIntegrity for Faculty • Challenge academic dishonesty when it occurs. Faculty who ignore academic dishonesty send the message that the core values of academic life are not worth any significant effort to enforce.

43. Principles of AcademicIntegrity for Faculty • Help define and support campus-wide academic integrity standards. Although faculty members should be the primary role models for academic integrity, defining, promoting, and protecting academic integrity must be a community-wide responsibility.

44. http://www.uga.berkeley.edu/sled/bgd/prevent.html

45. Davis (1993) • Make sure students know criteria for evaluation. • Learn to recognize signs of stress in students. • Ensure equal access to study materials. • Make sure students feel they can succeed in class w/o cheating.

46. Davis (1993) • Clarify distinctions between paraphrasing, plagiarism, and direct citation. • Assign specific topics. • Change assignments across semesters. • Require first drafts, early discussion, etc.

47. University of Maryland A great resource for model student codes. http://www.inform.umd.edu/campusinfo/ departments/jpo/ai/index.html

48. “Some Good News About Academic Integrity” McCabe & Pavela Sept./Oct. 2000 The basic elements of a modified honor code strategy.

49. Implementing aModified Honor Code • Ask students about the nature and extent of campus cheating. • Perhaps form an Academic Integrity Advisory Council consisting of a diverse group of student leaders. Invite key faculty to participate.

50. Implementing a Modified Honor Code • Give interested students and faculty a voice in setting campus policy. • Allow students to play a major role in the resolution of contested cases.