Report Cheating
- FACULTY - Report Integrity Violations Here
- How to Talk to a Student
- Guidelines for Faculty
Faculty Guidelines for Suspected Cheating
Observing Suspicious Behavior
It’s possible that you or others may observe suspicious behavior that violates academic integrity while it is actively happening. The following guidelines are intended to help you determine how to address the issue in the moment to either document and/or deter the suspicious behavior.
During Exams
There are different situations in which you may notice suspicious behavior from a single student, or even a group of students. Below are examples of different scenarios and how to respond to each.
Student Suspected of Copying Another Student
Example
You observe a student glancing over at their neighbor's exam paper for extended periods of time.
What to Do
Do not stop the student from completing the exam. If possible, ask another person (i.e., proctor, IA/TA) to observe the student and make note of their observations, but do not let them know what you observed yet.
- Compare notes and if you both noted the same behaviors, discreetly interrupt the behavior but allow the student to complete their exam.
- Make notes of the behavior and the names/ seat numbers of the neighboring students to compare their exams afterwards.
- Highlight anything that suggests copying occurred (e.g., same incorrect answers, same answers with different versions of exams, etc).
- If possible, move the student to another seat preferably away from other students.
- Make notes of the behavior and the names/ seat numbers of the neighboring students to compare their exams afterwards.
- If proctors/ instructional assistants/ teaching assistants observed the behavior first, they should notify you as the instructor of record immediately.
- Anyone who observed behaviors should write down their observations as soon as possible after the incident while their memory is fresh; these observations should be submitted with an academic integrity report.
Student Suspected of Using Unauthorized Aids
Example
During a closed booked/ notes exam, you observe a student looking down into their lap every few minutes. As you walk by, you notice a piece of paper with writing on it on their lap.
What to Do
Do not stop the student from completing the exam. If possible, ask another person (i.e., proctor, IA/TA) to observe the student and make note of their observations, but do not let them know what you observed yet.
- Compare notes and if you both noted the same behaviors, discreetly interrupt the behavior but allow the student to complete their exam.
- Immediately confiscate the unauthorized aid (e.g., "cheat sheet", cell phone, etc.) and make notes of the behavior.
- If confiscating a personal item that needs to be returned to the student after the exam, take photos that you can submit with an academic integrity report.
- Immediately confiscate the unauthorized aid (e.g., "cheat sheet", cell phone, etc.) and make notes of the behavior.
- If proctors/ instructional assistants/ teaching assistants observed the behavior first, they should notify you as the instructor of record immediately.
- Anyone who observed behaviors should write down their observations as soon as possible after the incident while their memory is fresh; these observations should be submitted with an academic integrity report.
Students Suspected of Collaborating
Example
During an individual exam, you observe two students whispering to one another and it appears one student is looking at the other student's exam paper.
What to Do
Do not stop the students from completing their exams. If possible, ask another person (i.e., proctor, IA/TA) to observe the students and make note of their observations, but do not let them know what you observed yet.
- Compare notes and if you both noted the same behaviors, discreetly interrupt the behavior but allow the students to complete their exam.
- Make notes of the behavior and the names/ seat numbers of the neighboring students to compare their exams afterwards.
- Highlight anything that suggests copying occurred (e.g., same incorrect answers, same answers with different versions of exams, etc). for submission with a formal report.
- If possible, move one student to another seat preferably away from other students.
- Make notes of the behavior and the names/ seat numbers of the neighboring students to compare their exams afterwards.
- If proctors/ instructional assistants/ teaching assistants observed the behavior first, they should notify you as the instructor of record immediately.
- Anyone who observed behaviors should write down their observations as soon as possible after the incident while their memory is fresh; these observations should be submitted with an academic integrity report.
Report the Incident
After the incident, you have several options to report the incident. Review the process that follows when cheating is suspected.