Students engage in academic misconduct for different reasons. They may be struggling to cope with workloads or life, or have left things too late. They may not be interested at all in learning and simply want a certificate at the end of the course. Or it might be that, for whatever reason, they don’t think they will pass the assignment and resort to cheating because there seems to be no alternative for them. We can’t always do anything about some of these reasons but there are some things that we can do to deter cheating or make it less likely.
Reasons students cheat we can do something about
- Failure to make the rules clear
- High-stakes assessment
- Recycled assignment briefs
- Lack of application/unclear relevance of assessment
- Lack of formative work or 'scaffolding'
- Unreasonable demands
What you can do
- Address academic conduct and honesty openly.
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Learn to spot cheating and tackle it. Use the Academic Concern system. Don't turn a blind eye.
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Model integrity and high ethical standards yourself
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Talk to your students about their work; get to know them. If they think they are seen, rather than an anonymous face in a crowd, they are less likely to cheat and more likely to ask you for help. (Adapted from Lindsay 2018, p.138)
Robust assessment design is the most important aspect in maintaining academic integrity. Find more help on the Assessment Design Pages.
Resources for students
These resources are available to support students with understanding and maintaining good academic practices.
Hallam Mini-modules on Academic Integrity
There are Mini-modules covering Academic Integrity at all levels of study. These are incorporated into the Blackboard Course Organisation site templates now, and can be used with students to promote understanding around academic integrity and good academic practices.
Library and Skills Centre
Your Library and Skills Centre provides a comprehensive range of support and resources for students including academic writing and detailed guidance on referencing including how to use RefWorks and APA 7.
Videos for students
Some videos have been developed for students on topics related to Academic Integrity, which you can highlight to your students:
