RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Detecting and Preventing Cheating in Exams: Evidence from a Field Experiment
JF Journal of Human Resources
JO J Hum Resour
FD University of Wisconsin Press
SP 0620-10947R1
DO 10.3368/jhr.0620-10947R1
A1 Cagala, Tobias
A1 Glogowsky, Ulrich
A1 Rincke, Johannes
YR 2021
UL http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2021/10/07/jhr.0620-10947R1.abstract
AB This paper examines how to detect, document, and prevent plagiarism in exams. First, to identify and quantify plagiarism, we propose methods that compare similarities in multiple-choice answers between seat neighbors and nonneighbors. Second, we document cheating in undergraduate exams. Under baseline monitoring, at least 7.7% of the row-wise neighbor pairs plagiarized. Pairs composed of academically weaker students cheated more. Third, using a field experiment, we demonstrate that close monitoring eliminated cheating. By contrast, signing an honesty declaration doubled cheating relative to the control group. Complementary experiments suggest that the declaration backfired because it weakened the social norm of academic integrity.