Cheating on a decline

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by Felisa Yang

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Cheating at Rice is on the decline, according to a 1995 survey conducted by Rutgers University Professor Don McCabe. On the overall scale, cheating increased on campuses with honor codes and decreased on campuses without.

Members of the Honor Council were happy with the results.

"[The Honor Council is] very pleased," Carolyn Gill, chair of the Honor Council, said. "It's something to be very proud of -- that even compared to other schools, there's less cheating at Rice. It proves that the system works."

McCabe's study was a follow-up to a survey he conducted in 1990. Last year, he sent surveys to students from 31 "highly selective colleges," 14 of which have honor codes, including Rice.

The survey shows that in 1995, 30 percent of students at schools with honor codes reported cheating, up from 24 percent. Of the students from non-honor code schools, 45 percent reported cheating, versus 47 percent in 1990.

In answer to the question, "How often do you think cheating during tests/examinations occurs on your campus," 44 percent answered "very seldom," versus 58 percent in 1995. Eighty-eight percent said that they had never seen another student cheat on a test or examination in 1995, whereas only 83 percent said the same in 1990.

Rice students also showed more willingness to report Honor Council policy violations and reported that they would be less willing to help another student cheat. Forty-nine percent of Rice students surveyed said they would report a student they saw cheating, versus only 10 percent of the non-honor code sample.

Overall, Rice students seemed to believe in the workability of the honor code. The survey also included open-ended questions about cheating on campus and evaluations of the effectiveness of the Honor Code. Student opinions varied widely on the issues.

"The honor code is one of the few surviving institutions at Rice," one student said. "It is hard for others to believe that. From Orientation Week to graduation, it is something taught and revered."

Another student disagreed. "Take home, closed-book, time-limited tests are the stupidest thing I've ever heard of. They're just asking us to cheat."

Other students like the Honor Code in theory, but see practical problems with upholding it. One student said, "Our Honor Council is pretty much respected, but there has been a backlash lately saying that they have too much power."

When asked how this reflects on the recently expressed disapproval of the council by students, Gill emphasized the difference between the honor system and the council.

"It's important for students to keep in mind the difference between the Honor Council and the honor system," Gill said. "If students have problems with the council, they can do something by voting and talking to council members."

"If [students] are concerned with the honor system, like with plagiarism or collaborative assignments, it's something the council can do something about.

"Don't throw the baby out with the bath water."

McCabe admits that the study isn't nationally representative, but reveals trends at the schools studied. He calls the results "discouraging" in a March 11 USA Today article. McCabe attributes the overall rise in cheating to intense competition for graduate school.

McCabe mailed out 12,100 surveys, of which 4,240 were returned. Rice's response rate of 43.5 percent was higher than the overall,

This item appeared in the News section of the March 22, 1996 issue.

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