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lumberjackej · Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2005 3:15 am Post subject: In Anticipation of Cheating

Happy April Fools' Day!

I'm preparing my literature classes' mid-term exam in two weeks. It will focus on basic reading comprehension: students will have to summarize stories we've read, short answer simple story questions, define vocab we've covered, etc.

I know that cheating is pretty widespread at my school (and throughout China, I guess), so I'm thinking of how to deal with it. I'm usually not a 'strict' teacher, but then again, it pisses me off when a few always-truant students think they can get an A by using crib notes.

I'm planning on setting a policy of 'you're caught cheating, you fail the exam' before the test, which will be explained clearly and slowly in English and Chinese.

But I know they'll still cheat. There are 50 kids in each class, and they sit pretty close together. Any suggestions (besides the inevitable 'lighten up'?). How do you deal with/manage/tolerate cheaters in your classes?

Thanks

EJ

Old Dog · Joined: 22 Oct 2004 Posts: 564 Location: China

Get your computer to generate 50 versions of the exam paper, the 50 questions being asked in random order. Otherwise close your eyes and think of England.

tofuman · Joined: 02 Jul 2004 Posts: 937

Put questions on both sides of the paper and alternate which side is up.

ABABABABABAB 30 minutes, then BABABABABABABA.

Get the idea? it worked for me.

Babala · Joined: 28 Jan 2005 Posts: 1303 Location: Henan

You could make up 2 different versions of the exam so the person sitting next to them does not have the same paper. Don't let them sit beside their friends, make up a seating plan. When I used to teach university, I explained that I would fail anyone I caught cheating. The good thing is that Chinese students are usually horrible cheaters. They just suck at it. I gave an essay question in one exam. I handed all the students those exam notebooks. I got 5 back that weren't even the right colour I gave them. Needless to say they received 0 as their grade. They usually cheat from the beginning, so if you catch the first one and take away their paper and make them leave, the rest will hopefully see that you are serious about failing them.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

My advice is exactly the same as the advice given so far. A small addition: why do you guys think it is unacceptable for students to bring their dictionaries and their literature book to the examination room?
I would encourage them to come equipped with both, and to make QUOTES from their textbook where necessarty or useful to support their points; in a class like this I would feel it is their right to look up certain words in the dictionary.

And ban the use of cellphones - these chaps are bound to use them to send information or answers to fellow students!

brsmith15 · Joined: 12 May 2003 Posts: 1142 Location: New Hampshire USA

I teach accounting and last semester gave 3 different versions of every test. Sure enough, one baboon copied from his neighbor. When he saw he got a zero, he asked why because his neighbor got 95%.

Imagine trying to explain to a brain-dead student that his answers were not the ones for the questions on his exam.

You guys are right. They suck at cheating.

Jamchuan · Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2005 4:38 am Post subject:

I have never given my kids an exam but they still cheat a lot when i give them small assignments and even during games.Last week I had to put my foot down and I had to tell them I could accept students who cheated all the time.I was a little harsh with them and some of them acutally came to me after all class and told me that I should not think that all Chinese students cheat.One girl was almost in tears because she felt ashamed of her classmates and she wanted to apologize for Chinese students because they have to work so hard and its so difficult for them to make progress.I felt bad ofcourse.

My friends usually gives different versions of tests and they just sit back and wait for the cheating and then all the complaining at the end when some students say that its just wrong to give everyone a different test. Confused

Brian Caulfield · Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Posts: 1247 Location: China

The system teaches you to cheat . The average class in China is very large . It is very large all over asia . My best friend a doctor in Korea once told me " You must cheat or you get behind !" I feel the same when I teach here or in Korea . There are so many students and the school wants me to norm test them . It is impossible for me to make an accurate grade.
So these cheaters should be incouraged to go into bussiness or Western politics.