Because scores on high-stakes tests influence many decisions, tests need to be secure. Decisions based on scores affected by preknowledge of items are unacceptable. New methods are needed to detect the new cheating strategies used for computer-administered tests because item pools are typically used over time, providing the potential opportunity…

Highly significant correlations were obtained between the predictors in Fishbein's model--attitudes and normative beliefs toward cheating--and cheating intentions, as well as self-reports of cheating. Indices of religiosity, GPA, sex, type of college, and years in school showed little or no effect on intentions or self-reports. (Author/SD)

Contains a French folk tale and discussion questions that give elementary level students the opportunity to discuss cheating and human behavior. Children read about three clever boys who outwit an unscrupulous innkeeper. They discuss the behavior of the protagonists and argue for or against the brothers' trick. (AM)

Three "tests" of intellectual competence (vocabulary, remote associates, trigram word-making) which permit cheating were standardized by rankings of 71 college students. The three tests were found to be equidistant along the dimension of perceived difficulty. Suggestions are made for using these tasks in cheating studies. (Author/SJL)

Five published leukemia studies have been retracted by the director of the Human Genome Project because they were based on falsified data from a graduate student, although some of the conclusions are still supported. Inconsistencies were discovered by a peer reviewer and were also found in the student's other work. (MSE)

While technology has made plagiarism easier, it has also made it easier to detect. This article explains how librarians are getting involved in this battle, what can tip off a plagiarized hand, and the software that can turn suspicion into confirmation. A list of online sources of plagiarism guidelines is provided. (AEF)

In a speech, Boston University (Massachusetts) president Jon Westling used "Somnolent Samantha" as an example of potential for student abuse of identification as learning disabled. Because Samantha was fictitious, 10 students have sued the university, charging Westling with holding an unfair view of students with learning disabilities.…

Surveyed Canadian dental school students and faculty and found that students gave equal or more lenient penalties than faculty for the same academic offense; extenuating circumstances introduced via case presentations altered penalty choice only slightly; and offenses could be grouped to correspond with appropriate penalties, thereby establishing…

Discusses student cheating on examinations and research/term paper assignments. Offers methods and techniques to prevent or minimize cheating. (SR)

Editors of scholarly journals are looking again at their role and that of peer reviewers as guardians of the academic enterprise, in light of recent revelations of fraudulent research data in scientific literature and continuing concerns about bias toward particular institutions, individuals, issues, or theories in editorial decision-making. (MSE)

Asserts that members of cartels have tremendous incentives to cheat on production limits to maximize profits. Describes a classroom activity in which grading an examination using a "curve" permits students to establish "cartels." Provides instructions on how the activity is used in the classroom. (CFR)

Reports the results of a survey sent to 15,000 students at 31 top-ranked universities asking students in engineering, business, science, and the humanities if they had cheated during their college career. From the 6,000 responses, business students ranked the highest with 87 percent, engineering 74 percent, science 67 percent, and humanities 63…

Examined perceptions of cheating held by 480 college students and 48 faculty members at 2 small colleges. Eighty-nine percent of students surveyed admitted they had cheated. Attitudinal variables were better at predicting cheating than were background variables. Faculty agreed on a definition of cheating yet did not agree on how to deal with…

The College Entrance Examination Board has not permitted calculator use on the Scholastic Aptitude Test because of unresolved concerns about equity, implications for test content, and logistical and security issues. Those issues no longer seem insurmountable, and significant changes are being introduced on many tests. (MSE)