Mitigation of Academic Dishonest in Colleges - Essay Example

Research on academic dishonesty by McCabe, Trevino, and Kenneth has indicated that cheating in exams has drastically increased in the last 30 years (McCabe, Trevino, and Kenneth, 2011). Contextual and individual factors influence exam cheating. McCabe Donald and his research partners found out that, contextual factors like student’s view on peers’ behavior is the greatest influence (McCabe, Trevino, and Kenneth, 2011). According to Angell, (Angel, 1914), inadequate preparation of exams, the value of exam papers in question, and the feeling that it’s quite difficult to pass exams are common motives behind exam cheating. Students are adept and exam cheating methods are dynamic and this fact reduces the chances of catching students cheating.  Exam administrators prefer to discourage exam cheating by severe punishment and proactively, positively altering students’ idea of cheating in exams.

A personal view on exam cheating

Cheating is a desperate move that results from desperation and a lack of confidence in oneself. It does not however guarantee success. Loyola Marymount University like many other academic institutions has set up systems and procedures for dealing with academic dishonesty. Punishment if found guilty depends on the severity of the violation of examination codes and extenuating circumstances. Such Punishment may include cancelation of exam, suspension, and expulsion. Server punishment when caught, still shows how important passing the exam is. Education should not be about passing exams, there would be no difference anyway between those who cheated and those who passed the paper honestly. Education should be learning.

Recommendations

It is evident; cheating in exam cheating is a moral behavior that is triggered by a lack of confidence in one’s self, and probably pressure from parents and teachers. The exam should test skills that are useful in the workplace or in contemporary life. It is not sufficient to condemn our academic system by looking at what it has done to our society (where those failing exams and dropping out of college employ those who pass and graduate). Students should be at the center of anti-cheating policies and results of exams should not be allowed to be the basis of discrimination and scale if it should determine whether a student is graduating or not. The habit of honest should be built. The academic community should therefore shift its focus from creating anti-cheating policies to addressing the cause of cheating. McCabe, Trevino, and Kenneth found that students not only develop academic dishonest by observing peers but also actively learn how to cheat from them.