Do you cheat?

[Tomoyo]

In academic settings, I've only cheated at my Chinese school. No one cared to learn a million gazillion random characters, so we developed a system of cheating. We had a "10 holy ways of cheating", too:

1) Writing the answers on the cover of your books.
2) Writing the answers on your pencil.
3) Writing the answers on your desk. (My favourite)
4) Have one person study; set up a cheat-chain starting with that person.
5) Writing the answers in our "practice writing books", then preceding to take the spelling test with the practice writing book instead of the test book.
6) Writing the answers on the wall behind the map.
7) I need to go to the bathroom.
8) Leaving the text book open, on the floor, surrounded by many jackets.
9) On the final exams, the teacher would often let us each ask him one question. "Everyone ask a different question."
10) Study.

 

[Fetus4188]

I've never cheated as I'm usually the guy everyone else tries to copy.

 

[GerrardCapashen]

I've never cheated as I'm usually the guy everyone else tries to copy.

Same here. I do remember once letting a friend copy my French homework in high school, but I felt really bad about that even though the homework wasn't graded, and haven't done it since.

 

[GenMarshall]

EDIT: Poll is for cheating in an academic setting not cheating your little brother out of his candy or in some game.

Dang, I thought this poll is about cheating on your spouse/girlfreind . (I would have voted no if that was the case anyway )

 

[shortguy]

I try to avoid cheating as much as possible. I've probably done a few questionable things on some minor assignments, but that's it.

I used to be a bit crazy about not cheating. In Algebra I I would report any problem or portion of a problem that I accidentally skipped to the teacher so she could lower my completion grade if she wished. In Algebra II the teacher actually had you grade your own homework (and counted it). If I happened to write an answer poorly (such that I wasn't positive what it said), I'd count it wrong whether I though I meant the correct answer or not. I later learned that many others changed some of their wrong answers.

 

[Ramius75]

Well, im tall and most of my friends are errrr short. so its easy for me to look over their shoulders.

Its very hard not to "see" their test paper... :naughty:

but i only did it once in a while coz i dont trust their answers.

 

[bed_head7]

On anything that I consider to be 'busy work', I will copy frequently. It is a matter of opening the book and copying the answer or skipping a step and just copying an answer. I don't really feel like my grade should suffer from my lack of interest to waste time at home on assignments that don't help me or don't interest me. I would rather waste my time playing civ.

On tests, no. Tests are at least a general indication of knowledge about the subject, which I do try for in classes even if I am not terribly interested. There is just so much homework though that serves absolutely no purpose for me or my education that I will cut corners sometimes, when I have actually done the work freely let others do the same.

 

[Sarevok]

Absolutely not.

 

[Rhye]

So few cheaters?

 

[Renata]

Just once on a test that I can remember, and I got caught. I find it shameful to cheat on exams. I did let a friend cheat off of me in middle school health class, which was such a joke I didn't take it seriously enough to bother me.

I've never ever plagiarized a paper or anything like that -- I think that's bottom-of-the-barrel behavior. I'm not sure why I find it so much worse than cheating on an exam, but I do.

Homeworks -- once I 'cheated' on a sixth grade math assignment, in that my father sat down with me and did all the stupid long division problems with a calculator. Then he wrote the teacher a long nasty note saying that his daughter could already do long division in her head and with both hands tied behind her back, thank you very much, and that the assignment (which really was ridiculously long) was a waste of precious time. That was fun.

Renata

 

[Renata]

Dang, I thought this poll is about cheating on your spouse/girlfreind . (I would have voted no if that was the case anyway )

That's a good topic, though. I think I'll open it.

Edit: Nah, can't, running late. Someone else should, though.

Renata

 

[Scuffer]

Frequently, but generally on things I could have done myself if I had been bothered. I see it more as an important lifeskill.

 

[col]

Many students cheat on assignments without realising it. Every time you copy and paste from the net without acknowledging the source, you are cheating. Plagiarism is a real problem and sadly many students dont understand that.

 

[Richard Cribb]

If it is considered cheating to write somebody elses exam paper, then I have cheated.

 

[Gothmog]

Mark1031 wrote:

But what about the future. If you're the smartest one in class no problemo you can be high minded and do well but if there is rampant cheating and you are average then what morals do you adopt.

Well, I've thought about this a bit more and it is still a very tough problem (from a parental point of view)...

But it came down to the value that I always try to keep in the top of my mind. What do I want for my children? I want them to be happy, now and in their adult lives.

Is it financial success that really makes us happy? No.

Does success through cheating make us happy? No, as Renata pointed out it often brings on intense shame.

The main thing that makes people happy (IMO) is being successful at interpersonal relationships; that is, love. One necessary component of this is loving ones self.

Teaching kids that they must win every competition no matter what will not help them with this goal. Nor will propping up their abilities, when eventually they will need to make it on their own.

I think that if a person is of average intellectual ability they can still be very financially successful if they want to, they are better off understanding their personal strengths and weaknesses, and working within that context.

Bottom line: teaching your children to love themselves is not compatable with teaching them to cheat.

I also think that the issue should be raised with the teacher, and perhaps the principle. Though if the project wasn't even graded then maybe it isn't that big a deal.

 

[col]

From a parent's perspective , I'd want to help my child. I'd want to help them learn the skills that they will need. I'd want to show an interest in my child's schoolwork.

That doesnt mean doing the work for the child which is likely to be counterproductive in the longer term. It means helping the child find out information, where to find it, how to search effectively, how to structire and collate information, how to use display and IT skills to communicate effectively. I dont see anything wrong with teaching your own children how to do things. I see a lot wrong with doing it for them. Develop a love of learning in your children and you give them a considerable treasure.

 

[Mark1031]

@ Gothmog. I agree with your goals for kids ie. happiness and that this comes primarily from the personal relationships, financial security and an enjoyable career help. My wife and I are both PhDs but surprisingly are not that concerned with academic success/competition. It would be nice but not if it is such a struggle that it makes you miserable. The real problem I have here is not grades but the self image it creates when you bring in one of these artsy projects you did yourself as an 8 yr old and it is displayed along side those done by 40 yr olds. It makes you feel like crap. It’s hard to explain to an 8 yr old that the others got more help and yours is great because you did it yourself. The alternative is to get the teacher to explain that it is a joint project for you and your parents to do together and then take a larger role in it (I at least want this so it doesn’t feel like cheating to provide extensive help ie. practically do it for them, BTW I know from some other parents that this is what they do). I guess this is fine but it does seem kind of silly to have 40 yr olds competing through their children for the best 3rd grade project. I mean if they would just make it clear that the parents can advise and provide limited help then the kids would learn to do things themselves and each project would be at an 8yr old level and no kids would feel bad. I don't see what good it does to have parents doing 3rd grade projects.

@ Col Yes we do help the kids constantly by teaching at home. We help on the projects too but the key word is help not DO. We live in an “excellent” school district. The teachers are not brilliant its just that all the parents do a lot of teaching at home which allows them to go very fast and pile on tons of homework, I have no problem with this but it does seem like a bit much work to me at times. It is hard to find time for just play, which I think is quite important and also a learning experience. Also, I’m not sure piling so much work on at such an early age is a great way to develop a love of learning but to rather view it as a burden.

 

[Builder4]

I cheated a little back in high school when I didn't yet hve my act together. Mostly it was done in an act of despiration to keep up with my peers. But in college I realized the negativity of this type of behavior and never did it again. Today I distain cheating and those who do it, it simply screws it up for the rest of us. People gripe about the unfairness of the world, well they are typically the ones messing it up for the rest of us. Or something like that. I hate cheating and stealing thats all I know!

Obvious parental submissions of what is supposed to be a childs work are pathetic. Such projects should be penalized IMO.

 

[Lozzy_Ozzy]

I have never cheated academically and although i correct my mistakes after a test (in another pen) i will always keep the original grade when self-marking. You never feel good with your results if you cheat and you become dumb.

 

[Lozzy_Ozzy]

Oh, the exception is French where i wrote the answers to mini-tets (learning 10-12 words/verbs) on my rubber, but i soon quit this and now regret it as i'm crap at French .