FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH COLLEGE CHEATING AND SUGGESTIONS FOR REDUCING CLASSROOM CHEATING

Abstract

This research studies various methods to reduce cheating during in-class examinations. We surveyed 218 undergraduate business students (133 men and 85 women) enrolled in introductory accounting and business law classes at a private university in the Northeast region of the United States. Our data indicate that cheating on minor examinations positively associated with having observed other students cheating and negatively associated with social desirability response bias, believing that cheating is wrong and that more should be done about cheating. Cheating on major examinations positively associated with having cheated on minor examinations and gender and negatively associated with believing that cheating is wrong. Students’ history of cheating on both minor-and-major examinations and knowing other students who cheated positively associated with students’ intent to cheat in the future and negatively associated with social desirability response bias. Only one suggestion for reducing cheating provided by students had significant differences among the three student cheating groups – bags and computers should not be accessible to students during examinations. Finally, while there was only one significant difference among the students’ history of cheating, three recommendations for reducing cheating are consistent with prior research: closely monitor students, use different examinations and separate students; these suggestions indicate that professors are not heeding the findings of prior research.