Blog #2

Cheating in the academic setting is a problem that has been occurring for a long time. The lack of effective actions towards the prevention of cheating has gained my interest to try and come up with a solution. In P2, I plan to explain why this problem is exigent, who the audience I’m addressing is, and solutions to this massive issue. The results of a survey taken in 1964 by a very diverse group of students showed that “Three-fourths of the respondents had engaged in one or more incidents of academic dishonesty” (McCabe 231). Knowing that the majority of students are participating in cheating shows that the need for a solution is exigent. It is even furthermore important due to the slight increase in academic dishonesty that was found in a second survey done 30 years later. In the article, “Studies Shed Light on How Cheating Impedes Learning” Sparks stated that, whether through cribbing homework, plagiarizing essays from the Internet, or texting test answers to a friend’s cellphone- even though overwhelming majorities consider it wrong” (Sparks 256).  This is why academic facilities, the stakeholder in this situation, need to acknowledge the deceitful acts that are occurring in their establishments and set strict punishments for the progression of student’s honesty. It is important that the educational facilities are part of the process in preventing cheating because they are the individuals that will be able to set and enforce a zero policy environment for cheating and implement punishments. I propose that the actions that the academic facilities should include, informing the students on what constitutes as cheating, letting the students know they understand the pressure that they are under, require students to sign a honor code, and to punish those who are found guilty of the crime.

(Graph shows the importance of having cheating defined to students.)http://www.coppellstudentmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/cheating-graph1.jpg

Since this problem is so relevant in schools of all ages, I suggest a synthesis of actions to be taken. The first step is to educate the students on what constitutes as cheating. The audience for this should include students of early ages. It is important that students, especially young students, understand what plagiarism consists of and how they can avoid committing it. Next, it is important for the faculty of education systems to make it present to their students that they understand the pressure they are under from their parents, coaches, colleges and themselves. Doing so will help break the thought that teachers do not understand how stressful it is to be a student. When students have a trust in their teachers, they will be more likely to consult them for help because the barrier will already be broken. Lastly, and most importantly, facilities need to set honor codes, along with a strict no tolerance policy. Honor codes help provide an environment that make students consider the code before taking negative actions. McCabe and Treviñ0 found that “Cheating occurs less in honor code environments” (McCabe 235). Part of developing an honor code deals with creating a safe environment in which students do not have to worry about being robbed of the work. In order to implement an integrity code into schools, it is important that the students are taught about exactly what the code consists of as well as having to sign a document stating that they will follow through with the code. When they sign their name on the document the students should fully understand that if they commit plagiarism you should expect to be prosecuted. Lastly, in order to complete the purpose, less academic dishonesty, education facilities need to set a no tolerance system. This means that no matter the type of cheating that occurs, students need to be punished in order for the honor code to be taken seriously. Overall, it is vital to the student’s success that academic facilities take action to prevent cheating. The purpose of this is to make sure that students are not taking credit for other people’s work as well as making sure that the students are learning as much as they possibly can.

Work Cited

McCabe Donald L. "Cheating in Academic Institutions: A Decade of Research." 2001. Ethics in Higher

Education. 1st ed. ED. Nancy Henke, Lisa Langstraat, Adam Mackie, and Emily Morgan.

Southlake, TX: Foutainhead, 2013. 229-245. Print.

Sparks Sarah D. "Studies Shed Light on How Cheating Impedes Learning." 2006. Ethics in
     Higher Education. 1st ed. ED. Nancy Henke, Lisa Langstraat, Adam Mackie, and Emily      Morgan. Southlake, TX: Foutainhead, 2013. 255-260. Print.