How do you handle student plagiarism, cheating, and grade inflation?

I assigned a zero, and allowed them to resubmit for a D. Next time the zero remained. That was high school. At the two-year tech college, I suggested they drop the class. but later I had to change to what I did in high school. In two cases I was lenient. One student did not have English as his first language and was ashamed. The other involved a wife whose husband was being deployed. As a veteran who was deployed, I understood.

Define academic dishonesty and expectations for all students in the classroom. Model examples of academic dishonesty/plagiarism as well as the consequences that come out of it. An effective school writing program that is universal across the curriculum and grade levels will streamline academic writing success and original content rich in research and student critical thinking/analysis on a variety of topics and essay types.

Dealing with student plagiarism, cheating, and grade inflation involves an approach that incorporates several different strategies, including preventative measures, detection tools, and suitable sanctions. At the outset of each course, make sure that your expectations for academic integrity and the repercussions of plagiarism and cheating are communicated clearly and concisely. Create homework that requires students to engage in critical thinking, analysis, and synthesis to make it challenging to copy from other sources or plagiarize. Utilize a variety of evaluation strategies, including essays, group projects, presentations, and quizzes, to lessen the probability of students directly duplicating one another's work.

What I share would sound controversial to some educators. Could it be that a root cause of plagiarism is the assessment design by the instructor? Let me give you an example - if the assessment is to use the same set of questions for every student cohort, would not the current students get the answers from the seniors, or the seniors will pass their solutions to the incoming juniors? A similar practice might occur in a rotation of assignments among groups for the same cohort, as they perform (say) a series of different experiments in a lab (usually due to limited resources). This is common for large course cohorts as in my engineering course program. To minimise this, I conducted and graded student viva at the end of each lab session.

Research aptitude has to be developed among students. They should learn to own the research they conduct. Inducing a sense of connection with the work goes a long way making them realize what they want to contribute matters more than copy paste.

At the start of each academic year, we engage students in a vital conversation encompassing plagiarism, cheating, grade inflation, and academic dishonesty. This dialogue emphasizes the potential impact on their grades and certifications. Our goal is to ensure their genuine comprehension and sincere commitment to these ethical principles. To bolster our message with authenticity, we provide students access to relevant open-source materials endorsed by academic authorities. By doing so, we empower students to explore credible resources, reinforcing the importance of upholding academic integrity.

A requirement of a multi-dimentional approach is inevitable in this regard. Firstly, educating students about creativity, critical thinking and academic integrity and the consequences of these actions is important. Instructors are supposed to give clear guidelines on proper citation and referencing. Enforcing technology, such as plagiarism detection software, can help identify copied content. Ultimately, fostering a culture of learning rather than focusing exclusively on grades can discourage cheating and grade inflation. Accentuating the value of personal growth, critical thinking, and deep understanding can nurture real engagement in the educational procedures.

Much of student plagiarism is an ethics issue - making students understand that is key. Ask them to sign ethics declarations after you have explored academic integrity. Use technology as a tool to reinforce what has been explored.

grade inflation through valid and reliable papers cheating through intervention and reinforcement plagiarism through training in writing

Addressing student plagiarism, cheating, and grade inflation involves prevention through education, clear expectations, and original assignments. Detection can be done using tools and monitoring, followed by appropriate responses such as private discussions, penalties, and record-keeping. To tackle grade inflation, establish consistent grading criteria and foster a culture of academic integrity through discussions and unbiased grading practices.

No amount of technology will work, trust and relationships are the bedrock to tackle plagiarism. The future of education, very much like the block-chain process will work on the dictum ‘people know it all’, your character is a very complex reflection reflection of many immutbale values, for the focus is not on content but experiencing the values, live be example and walk the talk - the phrases we here time and again.

I personally love tracking data and way back when (more time than I’d like to admit), I would plot out my preliminary grades by hand to surface my own grading curve and look for bias in my grading rubric, especially when grading subjective, artistic work. Also, I haven’t found the posting of class-wide scoring to be inspiring for students. In fact, it can be downright discouraging for some. However, dashboards or the visualization of progress at the individual level can motivate students!

Educators retain the crucial role of detecting plagiarism and cheating, ensuring the authenticity and caliber of student work. To achieve this, I rely on Plagiarism Detection Tools like Turnitin, Grammarly, and Duplichecker, both free and paid versions. To further validate originality, we arrange viva meetings with students, centered on their submitted projects or assignments. This multifaceted approach underscores our commitment to upholding academic integrity and fostering a culture of genuine achievement.

I think education is about building relationships!!! When a teacher is able to create an environment in which students feel safe to make mistakes and take risks, she/he is building bridges of trust and reliability. Moreover, giving voice and choice to students helps them express their thoughts and share their ideas freely which builds confidence and self esteem. Emphasizing uniqueness is key to encouraging authenticity of ideas. Being a knowledgeable and up to date teacher also contributes to students’ self reflection and self respect. Taking into consideration individual needs and abilities of each student accompanied with rewarding the efforts rather than the final outcome motivates students efficacy.

In my experience, I have found that these measures you mentioned come in handy. However, as educators, we need to model how our students can write better essays without heavily plagiarising. It starts with us -not by saying it but by modelling it. You made good points.

Online plagiarism checkers do not distinguish between a quote, which a student quotes from sources while referencing it and between the actual plagiarism. Moreover, sometimes the nature of the paper requires that a student quotes more from certain sources which can lead to a higher similarity percentage. A teacher must be aware of it and cannot grade papers relying only upon these online tools. They are useful, yes, but not sufficient.

In the past, students were required to resubmit their work not only in cases of plagiarism and cheating, but also due to concerns about grade inflation. This has given students the opportunity to be honest and realistic when submitting their work.

I agree, but grade inflation - it's a significant pressure from some parents (not all, but those who feel entitled) on school administrators, who in turn make teachers inflate grades to please the supposed parents “paying a lot in fees”. Again, not all schools are in this category; some schools have strong standards. I stand to be corrected, but a lot has changed concerning the standard of education, and to get back to the basis, standardised testing must be revisited. Colleges and universities are heavily dependent on grades when admitting students, and so degrees generally have become a signalling thing rather than the intelligence of the students. I understand this topic can be controversial, and I welcome other perspectives.

The best solution to this issue is to show the students that they can still use AI tools to support their own work but provide references. AI tools are helpful if used properly.

I think students and staff should be given resubmition chances once found involved in plagiarism. We have to eradicate this issue which has ethical dimensions as well. Rejection of works without any hope for resubmition cannot be a cure.

It vital that teachers and administrators create a safe environment and sincere relationships with students. Often, a student feels pressure from parents, peers of even themselves to succeed. A student who fears failure or reprocussions for not performing academically often resorts to cheating. Educators also need to guide parents regarding their expectations on their student and encourage open and safe communication with their child.

I believe it is really important for educators to cultivate an environment of unwavering academic integrity by instilling core values and practices. Uphold ethical standards through transparent interventions and sanctions. Employ a balanced approach, encompassing investigations, warnings, deductions, and disciplinary measures. Simultaneously, nurture growth and transformation by offering tailored support like counseling, tutoring, and skill enhancement. This holistic approach not only deters misconduct but also molds responsible learners. Through a culture of academic integrity, as a educator we foster a community dedicated to principled education and enduring success.

I agree. Modelling and mentoring good practices are crucial while incentivising those students who stand out. However, collaboration might be an issue as time is a scarce resource, especially when it comes to timetabling, but there is always a way for the willing mind.

Vary Assessment Methods: We can design assessments that require critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity, making it harder for students to cheat, giving them the opportunity to think and critically analyse the task given instead of rote learning the concepts to be assessed

Amidst the dynamic landscape of education, educators hold the pivotal role of being lifelong learners and educational leaders. As we navigate the evolving concerns and competition, prioritizing professional development becomes paramount. Continuously refining strategies to tackle academic dishonesty while embracing emerging trends is essential. By evaluating interventions, seeking feedback, and fostering a culture of improvement, we fortify the foundation of academic integrity. As lifelong learners ourselves, we lead by example, ensuring ethical education that transcends challenges posed by students, AI, and fellow educators.

I strive to design assignments with open-ended questions or ask students to submit drafts and outlines. It takes a lot of correcting, but it helps. I also use plagiarism detection software (which is not very good at detecting AI yet).

On the topic of grade inflation: Using rubrics for grading assignments and assessments can enhance objectivity and consistency. Rubrics clearly outline the criteria for each grade level and provide specific descriptors for different levels of achievement. This helps teachers evaluate students' work consistently and reduces the potential for subjective biases that may contribute to grade inflation. Collaborating with other teachers in the same subject area can help ensure consistency in grading practices. Moderation sessions can be conducted to review student work and discuss grading decisions. This process promotes fairness and helps identify and address any potential grade inflation issues across different classes.

Promote a Positive Learning Environment: Foster an environment where learning is valued more than grades. Encourage students to engage with the material and seek help when needed. This will give learners the confidence to seek help instead of turning to such malpractices.

Before we start finding the solution to the cheating problem, first we need to identify the root cause of this behavior. Students cheat because most of the teachers or education system assess students differently than the teaching. Teaching and assessment are not two different things. If you use the lecture method, don't expect students to write a paragraph on the topic.

These are all effective strategies to ensure the fidelity of student work. In order for there to be consistency in matters pertaining to plagiarism and cheating from classroom-to-classroom, school districts and superintendents must set clear policies and regulations for faculty and staff to follow. The policies and regulations protects their actions and decisions.

Another thing you could consider is to move away from traditional assessment materials and formats such as essay writing and instead do classroom based assessments. Creative writing also cannot be copied so in English lessons, a stimulus such as a photograph or a starting sentence (or ending sentence) could be used to create a short story, for example. If teaching a novel, you might read a paragraph of a chapter and then ask students to create a different ending to the chapter (not necessarily the ending of the book) or invent a different character to enter at this point. I once had a student plagiarise a poem which was supposed to be his own work. He had used a Maya Angelou poem and thought I wouldn’t know it. He got an F and a lesson!

My all time favorite plagiarism incident was in Canada. I was grading a paper for my Business Ethics class. Sitting in my office reading papers when part of a paper seemed strangely familiar. Reached over to the shelf and pulled out a journal and yep, the kid had plagiarized me! A few paragraphs with no citation. Our next meeting was very uncomfortable for him.

AI gives us a chance as educators to create an environment wher students can think critically! We need to use this new tool with our students! They are going to use it anyway,... We need to learn how to use it to make our classes mor and engaging!

It's also important to remember the root causes of plagiarism and cheating such as lack of confidence, poor time management, overwhelmed by task, fear of failure etc. Creating an environment and assessments where students can overcome their fears may go further than preparing rules and regulations in the event that students plagiarize or cheat. Notwithstanding that there will be students that will attempt to flaunt the rules because of sheer laziness, in my experience, a softer more supportive approach seems to encourage students to value their individual efforts more and to be less afraid of failure so that they don't feel the need to plagiarize.