Poll: School - Is This Cheating?
- Thread starter mitchell271
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I say it's cheating. I'm also not going to say I didn't do that some myself, but that's another story. If it is the exact same test, then it becomes more of a matter of memorization than learning. Anyone can memorize answers, and most of the times students study just for the test and don't use practices that enable them to remember something long-term (I've done some teaching so I apologize if I sound nerdy or somewhat preachy).
Getting a feel for the style of a test is one thing. I had a professor in college who would look for more information than what the question would ask for. It was a theater class and she knew that most students were only taking it because they had to, but she would give us a practice test early so everyone could see what all she was looking for on a given answer. She would cover the same materials year to year and the tests were VERY similar, but she could tell when it came time for grades who would cheat and who would take it honestly.
It's a gamble. I was in high school and had an english teacher call me out for using a test from a previous year. She knew I didn't read the story we had been assigned, and she knew I was friends with older students.
In the end, it's ultimately up to you. If you feel somewhat uncomfortable with it then you probably shouldn't do it. And to the people who say that it's the "teacher's fault" or "they want you to cheat" I'm sorry but I'm not buying that. Teaching takes a lot out of you, and if not changing tests that a new crop of students will see each year saves them a little time, energy, and sanity, then good for them.
Getting a feel for the style of a test is one thing. I had a professor in college who would look for more information than what the question would ask for. It was a theater class and she knew that most students were only taking it because they had to, but she would give us a practice test early so everyone could see what all she was looking for on a given answer. She would cover the same materials year to year and the tests were VERY similar, but she could tell when it came time for grades who would cheat and who would take it honestly.
It's a gamble. I was in high school and had an english teacher call me out for using a test from a previous year. She knew I didn't read the story we had been assigned, and she knew I was friends with older students.
In the end, it's ultimately up to you. If you feel somewhat uncomfortable with it then you probably shouldn't do it. And to the people who say that it's the "teacher's fault" or "they want you to cheat" I'm sorry but I'm not buying that. Teaching takes a lot out of you, and if not changing tests that a new crop of students will see each year saves them a little time, energy, and sanity, then good for them.
If it is identical (which it shouldn't be...that's just laziness) then usually they do a lot better job of keeping the test under wraps. From his initial description, several of his friends who took the module last year still have their tests. While you might get one or two who swipe a copy from an exam hall, if several have them, I can only imagine they were given the marked tests after. Definitely sounds like a very lazy teacher. That or deliberately trying to improve grades by making the questions/answers readily available.lacktheknack said:
Ah well, I'd totally get a copy myself.
I wouldn't think anything of it. If you know it all and you're simply making silly mistakes when you do whatever it is then in that situation I have no problem with it. I'm in Grade 10 so I just have maths class but I won't copy off my friends or cheat in anyway if I don't know it. I'll only cheat if I fully understand what has been taught, I just don't want to spend time doing it when I could be working on another class' homework.
My music teacher shows us the exact test a few days before, we don't get to keep them but we get to read over them fully for an entire class.
My music teacher shows us the exact test a few days before, we don't get to keep them but we get to read over them fully for an entire class.
Honestly? If it's the same, then the previous tests that you did can be used as a study sheet. Legitimately nope, it isn't cheating.
Yes it's cheating. And your refusal to participate shows your own strength of character. Kudos to you, honourable sir!
And like a lot of other people have mentioned, you'll be better prepared for Uni - which tends to be a fuck load more important than the last year of highschool.
And like a lot of other people have mentioned, you'll be better prepared for Uni - which tends to be a fuck load more important than the last year of highschool.
It is only to be concidered cheating if the students know the test is the same as last year.
If they don't know, it's not cheating, it's just stupid.
If they don't know, it's not cheating, it's just stupid.
Funny thing tho, at my university in Sweden we are allowed to look at older tests, since the test covers around 10% of what you are supposed to know. That way, since you never know what the actual questions will be you have to study for everything and the older tests can only help you so much (mostly to make sure that you are studying things that are worth studying and not heading of in the wrong direction). I think its pretty good, and it keeps the tests shorter. Everyone wins!lacktheknack said:
Also, I would concider it cheating if you knew that the same questions would end up on your test, or if the teacher would use the same questions over and over again.
If the questions are the same, yes it's cheating.
The test is supposed to be a measure of your ability to reason your way through problems and apply the concepts you've been taught in class.
It is not supposed to be a test of how well you are able to memorize a set of math problems and answers. Frankly, it disgusts me how many people say it's studying.
Like Fenrizz said though: over here it's normal for teachers to hand out previous years' exams so you get to see what exam problems are like.
Some of my textbooks even contain questions from earlier exams so you may try them out.
But the crucial difference is that these questions change from year to year.
The test is supposed to be a measure of your ability to reason your way through problems and apply the concepts you've been taught in class.
It is not supposed to be a test of how well you are able to memorize a set of math problems and answers. Frankly, it disgusts me how many people say it's studying.
Like Fenrizz said though: over here it's normal for teachers to hand out previous years' exams so you get to see what exam problems are like.
Some of my textbooks even contain questions from earlier exams so you may try them out.
But the crucial difference is that these questions change from year to year.
If the test is exactly the same as the one previously then it's the fault of the teacher, not the student. We had a mix up last year for one of our modules where they accidentally set the previous years exam, which we'd all used to revise. Not a damn thing they could do about it.lacktheknack said:
Taking the answers in with them on the other hand, I'd say that was cheating. That said, I've never had internet access for an exam, so I don't know what materials they do or don't allow. That said, if the teacher wasn't setting the same exam every time then this wouldn't be an issue.
This is what I was thinking. Except instead of disgust, it was more disappointment.Jonluw said:
Yes, that too.mitchell271 said:
What baffles me is that people seem to think that it's not cheating because the teacher encourages it.
If the teacher tells you the answers to an upcoming test, that doesn't make it okay, it makes the teacher an accomplice.
Believe it or not, people, your teacher isn't the highest authority of the course you're taking.
The teacher is failing the class, yes, and it's sad that one should be forced to choose between cheating or getting the lowest grade in class.
I won't speak out on whether you should grab at the opportunity to cheat, that's for you to figure out, but make no mistake: it's still cheating.
Yes it is, but why does it matter? If there aren't any repercussions (and there won't be because it's the teacher's fault) then it's not bad. I suggest you get off your high horse and join the unscrupulous plebeian masses.
if it's not the only source of your "knowledge", then no; it gives you an idea of what to expect, exactly how he questions are going to be asked
if you just learn what has to be answered how, without getting the backgrounds, you might get good results, but don't really *know* what's what, and feels sort of like cheating; like copying the results off some list
still, i don't care much about old tests; until today, i took all of them tests as they came; i mean, if one knows their stuff, how could one fail, eh? and i like the feeling of passing because i know stuff, not some piece of paper i memorised
if you just learn what has to be answered how, without getting the backgrounds, you might get good results, but don't really *know* what's what, and feels sort of like cheating; like copying the results off some list
still, i don't care much about old tests; until today, i took all of them tests as they came; i mean, if one knows their stuff, how could one fail, eh? and i like the feeling of passing because i know stuff, not some piece of paper i memorised