A statistical test for detecting answer copying on multiple-choice items is presented. The test is based on the exact null distribution of the number of random matches between two test takers under the assumption that the response process follows a known response model. The null distribution can easily be generalized to the family of distributions…

In the field of educational assessment, the "validity of assessment" can be defined as the degree to which evidence and theory support the interpretations of test scores that are entailed by proposed uses of the test. Many concerns have arisen over what is termed the "consequential basis" of validity, the intended and…

In 2004 South Africa embarked on a mission of reforming its higher education system, merging and incorporating small universities into larger institutions, and renaming all higher education institutions university. The democratic country's universities and technikons, which were incorporated with others and thus no longer exist, will be mentioned…

Published papers on the area of online assessment have mainly focused on instructors' assessment of online discussion forums or computer-assisted testing in a highly structured environment with a narrow focus on multiple choice or true-false types of questions. With the exponential growth of online courses and many educational institutions looking…

Cheating, operationally defined as the falsification of scores on a word construction task, was found, as predicted, to be influenced by achievement anxiety and knowledge of the performance of a peer reference group in 111 high school subjects (Ss). However, achievement anxiety was positively correlated with cheating only when knowledge of…

Significant cheating occurred in the group who had initially been successful, but then failed; suggesting that failure following initial success may be more repugnant than failure following initial failure. (Author/DEP)

Irregularities regarding grants-in-aid assistance to athletes at the University of Illinois in the 1960s caused a scandal, which is described in this article. The results of the scandal and a discussion of intercollegiate athletics follow.(MT)

A statistical test for the detection of answer copying on multiple-choice tests is presented. The test is based on the idea that answers of examinees to test items may be the results of three possible processes: (1) knowing; (2) guessing; and (3) copying. Examinees who do not have access to the answers of other examinees can arrive at their…

Describes a study investigating the usefulness of crib notes in taking exams in undergraduate courses. Results showed little apparent benefit to the student except in remembering lists and definitions. (CK)

Faculty perceptions of 28 academic behaviors were explored using multidimensional scaling of pairwise similarity ratings, a methodology that does not impose the researchers' a priori conceptions of the relevant dimension. Results indicated that faculty perceive academically dishonest behavior in two dimensions: seriousness and paper versus exams.…

This book is a practical text that provides concrete solutions to problems related to academic dishonesty with an overview of research and theory and strategies for preventing, confronting, and managing the problem. (SLD)

This book presents what is known about cheating and is a strong foundation for anyone interested in developing or reevaluating policies and procedures to address the issue of cheating on tests. (SLD)