Students

Some students end up cheating because they choose the wrong kind of “help” - usually from contract cheating websites, where people and companies offer to do your work for you.

Don't turn to online resources. Check out the following resources on campus:

• Professors and TAs -  They are your first source of help on your academic work.
• Writing Hub - Having a hard time getting your ideas on paper? Is your writer’s-block stressing you out? Stress no more. Make an appointment!
• Undergraduate Peer Writing Mentors - They will sit down with you, look over your ideas and help you break down your assignment so that you can feel more confident in completing your paper.
• OASIS - They have various free tutoring services, and helpful tips and resources on their website that can make your learning experience be much easier.
• Tutoring or study programs - Many departments offer further help.
• Your college's academic advising office - Stop by and take advantage of 15 minute walk-in sessions with counselors or schedule longer appointments and get help with any other academic struggles you might be facing. Your academic counselors are there to help you succeed.

Many students who cheat do so because they are not interested in their major, having chosen a major for their parents instead of themselves. So, you can prevent cheating by choosing the right major for you by asking yourself these questions:

• What are two of my strengths?
• What are my two weaknesses?
• What do I enjoy and would enjoy doing every day?
• Will my decision make me happy?

After asking yourself these questions, think about the answers and draw connections to possible majors/ careers. Remember to make a decision that will benefit you and will make you happy. In the end, it’s your life not your parents’ lives. So, decide what you love to do and then do it!

There is no rush in deciding a career path or major right when you start college. Allow yourself to explore different areas of studies and take different courses with different professors. This way you’ll learn to address things you like and don’t like before jumping into a major that could make your education journey throughout college miserable.

For further help, check out the Career Center. You can find many resources and endless information on their website or schedule an appointment with a career advisor to discuss your possible plans or help you create a plan.

• Before meeting with an advisor you could also take the Career Assessments that will help you identify what some of your skills and interests are so that it can guide you in choosing the career that is best fitted for you.

People make bad decisions when under stress. So, you can prevent cheating by managing your stress with these tips:

• Get off the computer and hit the books.
• Study in 20-50 minute increments. Give yourself a 5-10 minute break between each session.
• Don’t stick to one study spot. Switch it up.
• Jog for at least 20 minutes to refresh the mind and help your brain stay active.
• Find out how you learn best. It's a learning experience.
• Talk to your professors and TAs, they’re there to help you.
• Give yourself time to study for an exam or finish an assignment. Time constraint leads to stress.  

School can get very stressful, especially with everything going on around you on and off campus. If you feel your stress is overwhelming, take a step back, breathe. Here are more resources to help you out:

• CAPS Wellness Handouts
  • Read their tips and check out their resources to help you take care of your well-being and mental health, including how to better manage stress. Don’t let stress take over your life and stop you from excelling with integrity.
  • Here's some quick tips on Stress Management
• The Zone
  • Their mission: To provide innovative programming that promotes skill development for healthy living, and introduces well-being resources to students; and to serve as a student space for relaxation, social connections and personal development.
  • Use their website to find an updated calendar of the different activities they are holding throughout the quarter. This is a great way to escape from the stressful moments you face throughout the quarter.

People make bad decisions when under time pressure. So, you can prevent cheating by managing your time well:

• Check out these time management tips.
• John Hopkins University also has awesome Tips on Balancing School and Social Life.
• If you feel that you’re losing control of your time or simply can’t figure out how to manage your time well, you can schedule an appointment for guidance:
  • Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
  • Academic Integrity Peer Educators

Some students are reported for cheating because someone else cheated off of them! So, to prevent cheating, you need to protect your own work by:

• refusing to distribute your assignments and exams to others - whether in-person or online
• protecting your exam answers from the view of your neighbors
• not lending your computer or thumb drive to your friends, unless your work is password protected
• not leaving your computer, assignments or exams unattended so that others can access it without your permission
• telling a professor or TA if you think a neighboring student is trying to cheat off of your exam

You can prevent cheating by just saying “no”.

Saying No to Friends

No to friends when they ask for “help” that violates academic integrity standards.

For example, a friend asks for old assignments, wants to do an independent assignment together, or asks to sit next to you during an exam.

Remember - these requests can come in many forms. Maybe in a Discord Server set up for the class, or in-person, or in chats. The medium doesn't make a difference. It is still cheating.

Saying No to Toxic Help

No to Toxic "Help" sites (e.g., Chegg, Course Hero, essay writing sites, other answer providing sites) that promise you "fast work", "original work", or "excellent results".

You will get emails, WeChat and text messages, and see social media postings, by these Toxic "help sites", offering to do your work for you or solve your problems for you. These are attractive offers, but using them would be Contract Cheating - the most egregious form of cheating, leading to a Quarter Suspension.

Long-Term Goals 

Saying no isn’t easy, especially to someone you care for or when the offer is really tempting.

But think about it this way - caring for a friend and caring for yourself and your long-term goals sometimes means saying “no” if you or they are about to do something that could harm you or them (like cheating).

So, when faced with a situation where a friend is asking you to do something you know would violate academic integrity or a company/ person is offering you services that promise to make your life easier, remember your values and your long-term goals. It's about learning and it's about acting as the person you think you are - honest, trustworthy, and fair.

Helpful Tips for Responding

Here are some tips for acting in these situations:

• Have the “Courage to Ignore” - don't click on the link or say "yes"; delete those messages or ignore those ads tempting you to get "help".
• Use University Resources only - if you stick to using University Resources for tutoring and learning help, you know you'll be doing it with integrity. 
• Be Honest - if it's a friend, let them know why you feel uncomfortable helping them (i.e., it's not fair or honest, and you don't want either of you to get in trouble).
• If it's a site/ person offering to help you, report them to aio@ucsd.edu.
• Redirect - if it's a friend, redirect them to the legitimate UC San Diego resources for help, like the professor, IA or the Commons, or help them in a way that wouldn't be cheating
• Ask yourself - would I want my action to be known? This is called the Exposure Test - if you wouldn't be comfortable with your professor or the AI Office finding out what you did, then don't do it!
• Friends and toxic "help" sites can be very convincing. It takes a lot of courage and presence of mind to stay true to your values and your long-term goals. But we know you can do it!