Is Cheating on an Exam Easier Than Ever? Two Thirds of Uni Students Think So

Have you ever been tempted to cheat on an exam?

University ain't like it used to be, and arguably one of the biggest changes, especially post-COVID, are the way we sit exams now.

With most courses going at least partly online since the pandemic, there's been a significant increase in unsupervised online exams.

And that's brought with it a whole heap of temptation to cheat, according to new research from Studiosity and yours truly, Student Edge.

More than two thirds of the students surveyed (67 per cent) agree that cheating is easier to get away with now than ever before.

Another 16 per cent said they would be more likely to cheat if one of their peers had done so first and 63 per cent of Victorian students have either cheated on an exam or assignment in the last year or know of someone who did (the highest numbers in all of Australia).

One anonymous student said online exams were "very easy" for people to cheat on.

"For example, my university did not have cameras or computer tracking at all so I could easily have had notes right next to me to copy. Someone I worked with stated that he and his friends Facetimed during their exams and shared answers, and that for a maths exam, they split up the questions, so each guy only did 20 per cent of the exam themselves," they said.

Studiosity's Chief Academic Officer, Professor Judyth Sachs, said, with uni exams just around the corner, students should consider the long-term implications of being caught cheating.

"A lot of students don’t fully realise the risks they’re taking by cheating. Even things like texting exam answers to a friend during an online quiz can make you lose your degree and cost your entire academic career. If you’re caught cheating, it goes down on your permanent academic record," she said.

Instead of cheating, Professor Sachs offered a few wise words of wisdom:

Understand the assignment.

Do you feel comfortable with your syllabus, your course content and what the assessments require from you?

Professor Sachs said you should make sure you understand what's expected from you, right from the beginning, and check with your unit coordinator early if you're not sure.

"Some faculties, for example, may prohibit students from collaborating with their peers on any coursework. For others groupwork may be encouraged, but citing others is always necessary—especially when ‘group work’ may look like you have used another student’s work in certain technology systems," she said.

Start studying early.

Ah, procrastination, our old friend. 

Procrastination increases the likelihood of cheating, so plan ahead to avoid it. If you need tips, we've got 'em right here.

Professor Sachs always recommends you start studying for a test, or researching an assignment, earlier than you think you need to.

"By being prepared in advance, you have the time to seek advice, check referencing, or fix any gaps in your knowledge and work through any challenging problems way before the due date," she said.

Go forth and conquer (without cheating), students!

Header Image: Pexels.