Strategies for Reducing Cheating and Plagiarism in Online Exams

Today, around 30% of college students take online courses to upskill or complete higher education, which will only increase with time. Educators have started the online exam facility to eliminate students’ challenges with traveling across states or countries to complete a course or academic program. Despite, many universities hesitate about the digital assessment system as it compromises academic integrity.

There’s no denying that students can get pretty creative when it comes to cheating in exams. From the age-old method of writing notes on small papers, their hands or legs to using modern apps to connecting with others in or outside class, research shows using unfair means is common among students appearing for an online exam.

What’s the solution? Virtual live proctoring technologies! According to Allen Sage of MyAssignmenthelp.com, proctored exams and keystroke verification software can reduce cheating in an online exam. Below we have enlisted more suggestions on how instructors can reduce online cheating and plagiarism in exams on virtual platforms. Read on!

How to Combat Cheating & Plagiarism in Online Tests?

A survey report suggests that 73.8% of students believe cheating in online examinations is easy. Hence, here are some suggestions for educators to reduce cheating and misconduct in online courses:

· Use varied questions and answers:

Replace multiple choice questions (MCQs) with open-ended questions as they require detailed answers. Educators should add questions that require higher-level thinking and analysis. That way, one cannot easily copy their friends’ narratives and answers and must work harder to write the answers based on their understanding of the concepts.

· Remind students of the exam guidelines:

Create posts and videos explaining the importance of academic integrity policies and review the consequences of not abiding by them. Reiterate the policies and the outcome of not following them before exams so students thinking of cheating or plagiarizing answers can be deterred from the motive and answer the questions honestly.

· Introduce an academic integrity contract:

Many institutions require students to sign an academic integrity contract to ensure they are aware of their actions’ possible consequences. Therefore, ask students to sign an electronic contract after viewing the academic integrity video. Also, include a link to the college or university website with your academic integrity policy video so students can upload a signed contract before the exams.

· Verify the test-taker ID:

Unsurprisingly, many online test takers have been caught for getting a friend or third party to take the test on their behalf. The only way to determine the authenticity of the test taker’s identity is to employ proctoring software. It will compare the student’s ID to their biometric profile to verify whether the right candidate is appearing for the test.

· Change the question sequence:

When creating an online test, randomize the selection of questions and the order they appear. As a result, students are unlikely to get the same questions in the same order. This strategy is also effective in keeping a watch on tech-savvy students who tend to employ screen-sharing technologies to share answers with their peers simultaneously.

· No retaking exam & backtracking option

There’s no chance of retaking an exam in the typical on-campus exam setting. The same practice should be followed for online tests. Allow the test takers to appear for the exam only once so they can understand the seriousness of the test and give it their 100% effort and focus. Also, it eliminates the backtracking ability. That way, students can answer the questions as per their understanding and don’t get to change answers.

· Offer different versions of the test:

Generally, it is recommended to prepare different versions of the same test so students who are yet to take the test cannot access the questions from students who have already appeared for the test. Educators should prepare different questions for students in different time zones to make it less likely for students to have similar questions.

· Remove the “All at Once” view:

Most online exam takers open multiple browsers and tabs to find answers. Some even involve their friends and families to find answers to a specific set of questions. The best way to prevent students from doing this is to display one question at a time. So, change your setup and choose settings that restrict students from reviewing all the test questions.  

Closing Note

Online assessment is different than the traditional bricks and mortar classroom exam setting. Most students have access to the internet and modern technologies, which increases the chances of cheating and plagiarism in online exams. Regardless, there are ways to safeguard online exams and preserve academic integrity. Thus, educators and course instructors can follow the above mentioned strategies to eliminate cheating and appropriately assess their students’ overall learning abilities.