Understanding Cheating

Before trying to address cheating and plagiarism, it's important to understand the problem. First, and most importantly:

There is no conclusive evidence that students cheat more in online or hybrid courses than they do in traditional classes.

The fear of cheating in online courses is, nonetheless, higher.

Why Do Students Cheat?

In their training materials, UW Bothell faculty and staff point out the most important reasons:

Extrinsic Motivation. If learners are motivated to learn primarily through rewards, grades, or external approval (e.g., parents, instructors, or admissions committees), cheating is more likely. Fear of not impressing others or not getting a good job can make the stakes seem disproportionately high. If learners feel pressured to be perfect, they may resort to cheating.

Lack of relevance. If a learner cannot see the relevance of a particular assignment, they may justify cheating, particularly if they feel overwhelmed by other responsibilities.

The Rochester Institute of Technology summarizes Links to an external site. the other most common reasons:

• Desire to get a good grade
• Fear of failing
• Procrastination or poor time management
• Disinterest in the assignment
• Belief they will not get caught
• Confusion about what constitutes plagiarism or current university policies

How to Prevent Cheating

There are two fundamental approaches to preventing cheating: pedagogical (through instructional design) and technological (through surveillance and control). Let's consider both.