Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe the nature and operations of schools commonly regarded as "Miracle Examination Centres (MECs)" in Nigeria, through the lens of stakeholders in education. This study also assessed stakeholders' perspectives on the possible solutions to the problem of MECs. Design/methodology/approach: The…

Ten years ago, the author worked as the Director of Assessments for the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). For temporal context, the author arrived after the first of the infamous test cheating scandals and left just before the incident that spawned a second. Indeed, the author filled a new position created to both manage test security…

Wollack, Cohen, and Eckerly suggested the "erasure detection index" (EDI) to detect fraudulent erasures for individual examinees. Wollack and Eckerly extended the EDI to detect fraudulent erasures at the group level. The EDI at the group level was found to be slightly conservative. This article suggests two modifications of the EDI for…

Wollack, Cohen, and Eckerly (2015) suggested the "erasure detection index" (EDI) to detect fraudulent erasures for individual examinees. Wollack and Eckerly (2017) extended the EDI to detect fraudulent erasures at the group level. The EDI at the group level was found to be slightly conservative. This paper suggests two modifications of…

In investigations of unusual testing behavior, a common question is whether a specific pattern of responses occurs unusually often within a group of examinees. In many current tests, modern communication techniques can permit quite large numbers of examinees to share keys, or common response patterns, to the entire test. To address this issue,…

Recent studies indicate that examiners make a number of intentional and unintentional errors when administering reading assessments to students. Because these errors introduce construct-irrelevant variance in scores, the fidelity of test administrations could influence the results of evaluation studies. To determine how assessment fidelity is…

Examination malpractice or cheating has become a global phenomenon. In different countries of the world today, developed and developing, academic dishonesty especially cheating in examinations has heightened and taken frightening dimension. In many countries of the world this phenomenon has become a serious matter of concern that has left many…

Academic integrity has been a perennial issue in higher education. Undoubtedly, the advent of the Internet and advances in user-friendly technological devices have spurred both concern on the part of faculty and research interest in the academic community regarding inappropriate and unethical behavior on the part of students. This study is…

Sound testing practices and the high-quality information that can result are helpful to those who have oversight, responsibility, or interest in American education. To the extent that tests provide high-quality information, they form the basis for making accurate judgments about individual students. It is equally true, however, that factors which…

Computer-based assessments are becoming more commonplace, perhaps as a necessity for faculty to cope with large class sizes. These tests often occur in large computer testing venues in which test security may be compromised. In an attempt to limit the likelihood of cheating in such venues, randomised presentation of items is automatically…

Portfolios, demonstrations, exhibitions, displays, and video attestations all challenge traditional test theory, which is focused on individuals in isolation. However, teachers are expected to work collaboratively and resolve problems within a social context. Instead of limiting collaboration when evaluating a teacher's site-based portfolio,…

Reviews research on detection of cheating by students on multiple choice tests. Discusses three ideas concerning detecting, deterring, and confronting cheating. Discusses problems confronting teachers attempting to use statistical data to prove cheating. (CFR)