Research and Cheating on Tests

What does the research say about cheating on tests?

According to Gregory J. Cizek in Cheating on Tests How to Do It, Detect It and Prevent It:

  • Cheating is about grades, grades, grades. (pages 32 – 36)
  • The strongest predictor for cheating is previous cheating or seeing others cheat or seeing cheating go unpunished. (page 123)
  • "Students whose motivation for performance is to earn a grade (as opposed to learning) are significantly more likely to report engaging in cheating to accomplish that goal." (page 105)
  • "Larger classes, free seating, poor proctoring or supervision of the test, inexperienced faculty, the opportunity to cheat, and take-home tests are all associated with increased cheating." (page 116)
  • "Seating students apart during testing, the use of essay tests, and stiff penalties are among the factors students report as likely to decrease the amount of cheating." (page 121)

Cizek, G. J. (1999) Cheating in Tests, How to Do It, Detect It, and Prevent It. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.