Students in a large state university were surveyed to determine their beliefs about penalty levels appropriate for persons found guilty of various acts of academic dishonesty. There were two samples: one was random, and the other consisted of students who were strongly believed to have cheated by copying answers on one or more multiple-choice…

One function of a Human Subjects Committee is to review the possible adverse effects of ethically problematic experiments. The concerns of an institutional review committee about the possible adverse effects of an ethically-problematic "cheating" study were examined with regard to the actual effects reported by the subjects. Retrospective…

Based upon the theory of moral stages devised by educational psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg, this report examines the influence of the social situation on principled moral reasoning and on cheating. Research assessed the level of moral reasoning for 152 college juniors and seniors using Rest's Defining Issues Test (1976) in which levels of low,…

This booklet is an evaluation of the use of homework as it contributes to learning. The main contention of the booklet is that as often as possible homework should be in the form of independent study projects and should be interesting and enjoyable rather than boring or overly difficult. It is suggested that homework assignments which are too long…

Sources consulted in preparing this bibliography of education material related to the teaching of moral or values education include the "Bibliographie de Quebec,""British Education Index," the "Canadian Education Index," the "Cumulative Book Index," the "Current Index to Journals in Education," the "Directory of Education Studies in Canada," the…

Comparison data on SAT verbal and mathematical were collected on pairs of examinees in three samples for later use in detecting instances of willful copying. Two of the samples were constructed with the knowledge that no examinee could possibly have copied from the answer sheet of any other examinee in the sample. The third sample was taken…

A 49-item questionnaire administered to 380 students was used to study cheating on exams, quizzes, and homework assignments. More than half the students reported cheating during the academic year in at least one area. (Author/MSE)

There are several kinds of plagiarism, and its significance varies with its circumstances. College administrations seem to avoid responsibility for examining allegations of academic plagiarism, and few procedures exist for addressing them. Until standard and open procedures are established and accepted, rigid and unrealistic attitudes will prevail…

This book provides a resource for everything educators need to know about classroom cheating. Six chapters include: (1) "What Do We Know About Cheating in the Classroom" (who is cheating and why); (2) "Why is Cheating a Problem?" (e.g., the ubiquity and the consequences of cheating); (3) "How Does Cheating Occur?"…

Describes a 1920s study by Hartshorne and May, the "Character Education Inquiry," and summarizes its three-volume report, "Studies in the Nature of Character," about students' moral development and ethical instruction. Emphasizes findings that discussing hypothetical dilemmas and supplying moral knowledge are less effective…

Two opposite views of the relations between moral cognition and moral action are described, their contrasting assumptions and implications are clarified, and the available empirical literature is reviewed. Research relating moral reasoning to real-life moral behaviors is summarized, with special attention given to design, measurement, and…

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,…

Examined attitudes of 19 British university students concerning plagiarism and cheating. Found strong moral basis for student perceptions, focusing on values such as friendship, trust, and good learning; lack of clarity concerning what constitutes plagiarism; and influence of factors such as alienation from the institution, large classes, and…

Reports on a study that extends social psychological theories of deviance to explain academic cheating. Uses self-report data from college students to examine the theories of deterrence, rational choice, social bond, and social learning formulations of cheating. Supports the claim that cheating is a serious problem in higher education. (SLM)

Colleges and universities can avoid student litigation if they adopt clearly defined objectives, grading procedures, classroom expectations, and appeals procedures. (Author/MSE)