Session Type
Short and Tweet
Room
PAB 148
Start Date
9-7-2013 3:00 PM
Keywords
academic misconduct, prevalence, short and long answer tests
Primary Threads
Evaluation of Learning
Abstract
Many senior level science courses employ short and long answer testing style whereby students can have their test re-graded if they feel they were inaccurately assessed. The integrity of this type of system has been questioned over reports that students may alter their test before handing it back in for re-grading. We designed a study to objectively quantify the prevalence of this type of academic misconduct. Eleven third and fourth year science courses (class sizes: 63-468 students) that used a written testing style and allowed these tests to be re-graded were chosen for the study. All course midterm tests were graded and scanned before they were returned to the students, and then re-scanned if they were submitted for re-grading. The tests were then compared to determine if the answers had been altered. Ethical approval for this study was obtained to allow the study to be performed without informed consent to ensure the validity of the results. Further analysis will determine if there is a correlation between those that cheat and their test grade, their major, and their sex as well as observing how they are cheating. A comprehensive analysis of the all courses will help elucidate the context that incites students to commit academic misconduct. Understanding the prevalence of this cheating strategy, how students supplement their tests and the circumstances that provoke students to cheat will help us determine the integrity of this testing style, and inform us on how to deter this activity in the future.
Media Format
flash_audio
More integrity and less academic misconduct: The prevalence of academic misconduct during test re-grading of short and long answer tests
PAB 148
Many senior level science courses employ short and long answer testing style whereby students can have their test re-graded if they feel they were inaccurately assessed. The integrity of this type of system has been questioned over reports that students may alter their test before handing it back in for re-grading. We designed a study to objectively quantify the prevalence of this type of academic misconduct. Eleven third and fourth year science courses (class sizes: 63-468 students) that used a written testing style and allowed these tests to be re-graded were chosen for the study. All course midterm tests were graded and scanned before they were returned to the students, and then re-scanned if they were submitted for re-grading. The tests were then compared to determine if the answers had been altered. Ethical approval for this study was obtained to allow the study to be performed without informed consent to ensure the validity of the results. Further analysis will determine if there is a correlation between those that cheat and their test grade, their major, and their sex as well as observing how they are cheating. A comprehensive analysis of the all courses will help elucidate the context that incites students to commit academic misconduct. Understanding the prevalence of this cheating strategy, how students supplement their tests and the circumstances that provoke students to cheat will help us determine the integrity of this testing style, and inform us on how to deter this activity in the future.