Accused of cheating

[deleted1026112]

Hey guys, I’m seeking out advice. I’ve been accused of cheating on a scantron sheet. My professor thinks that I changed the bubble sheet before returning it to her to regrade it because there were discrepancies. I am not a cheater. I have several peers and faculty members who can attest to my character. I am such a hardworking student and would never even think to cheat, especially on a scantron. I don’t know how to defend my innocence and for me all hope seems lost. I have a one on one meeting in a few weeks to discuss the situation at hand. The only thing going through my mind is that there must be a mistake somehow somewhere on the scantron file. After the meeting that one person will here my side of the story and decide my fate. I am desperate and don’t know what to do. How else can I back up and prove my innocence??

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[deleted966164]

What are the discrepancies? It also should be “innocent until proven guilty”...

 

[deleted1026112]

What are the discrepancies? It also should be “innocent until proven guilty”...

The discrepancies are that the scantron online file of the sheet shows that the scantron bubbles appeared to be altered when she graded it again. It is just so unfair because I emailed her almost immediately after the class session asking her to double check it.

 

[ThatGIguy]

The discrepancies are that the scantron online file of the sheet shows that the scantron bubbles appeared to be altered when she graded it again. It is just so unfair because I emailed her almost immediately after the class session asking her to double check it.

Do they have a scanner photo? If so, you’re kinda SOOL

 

[deleted1026112]

Do they have a scanner photo? If so, you’re kinda SOOL

All I know that she said that some that appeared to be wrong were right and vice versa.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I’m confused. What do they think you did exactly?

 

[deleted1026112]

My professor accused me of changing the bubble sheet answers then asking her to regrade it.

 

[Smolpuppo21]

All I know that she said that some that appeared to be wrong were right and vice versa.

As someone who TA'ed for a course that scanned photos of every scantron post-exam, I find it hard to see how cheating didn't occur. However, I presume it's innocent until proven guilty. If the professor gave scantrons back to the class, and kept photocopies of each one, and you returned yours with different answers bubbled, I can see how it would be identified as cheating.

If the professor took photocopies of scantrons post-exam, and before giving them back, you're out of luck.

 

[Sephirakra]

My professor accused me of changing the bubble sheet answers then asking her to regrade it.

They returned the Scantron sheet to you? That seems... odd.

 

[Smolpuppo21]

They returned the Scantron sheet to you? That seems... odd.

Eh, it's not that odd. I TA for a Biochem course and the professor returns scantrons for student review after photocopying each one.

 

[Sephirakra]

Eh, it's not that odd. I TA for a Biochem course and the professor returns scantrons for student review after photocopying each one.

Perhaps. I don't recall ever having one returned to me, but I'm just one person. Diff'rent Strokes, and all that.

 

[Smolpuppo21]

Perhaps. I don't recall ever having one returned to me, but I'm just one person. Diff'rent Strokes, and all that.

Before I derail this thread, it's so odd to see how different schools run courses. Almost every "pre-medical" pre-req that I took returned scantrons and exams to students post-exam. You're right tho lol, diff'rent strokes.

 

[Schwifty]

At my undergrad the scantrons were given back to the students temporarily to review and make sure nothing was incorrectly marked which does happen, I got a point back on a chemistry exam once because of this. But some students would change the bubbles and try to get it regraded, but they had images of all the scantrons so that never ended well for the students. If they have images this will go by quickly and will know if you cheated or not, if not you are just going to have to make a good case for yourself, but you are innocent until proven guilty.

 

[Sephirakra]

Before I derail this thread, it's so odd to see how different schools run courses. Almost every "pre-medical" pre-req that I took returned scantrons and exams to students post-exam. You're right tho lol, diff'rent strokes.

We definitely had non-Scantron exams returned to us for review, and I'm sure the Scantron tests were available for our review (though I don't recall ever requesting one). But this was all more than a decade ago, so maybe the times have changed.

OP, take a breath. The accusation stings more than anything else if you're innocent. It seems pretty cut-and-dry: if your professor made copies or scans of the sheets and there are discrepancies, you're sunk. If the professor has no backup, then there's really no case. Can't prove anything without a comparator.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

My professor accused me of changing the bubble sheet answers then asking her to regrade it.

But some of the answers looked like they were changed from right to wrong? So they think you cheated by giving yourself wrong answers?

 

[Goro]

My professor accused me of changing the bubble sheet answers then asking her to regrade it.

I suspect that you're SOL. Those bubbles don't change by themselves.

 

[deleted994889]

I'd say that's a pretty big oversight by the professor if they didn't make photocopies. If I were you, I would look up the appeals process in the student handbook in case you need to consult a higher authority.

One of my professors told us a story about how he gave a student a failing grade on the term paper because the student only submitted the cover page. When the student argued that maybe the professor lost the rest of the paper, he said "you're right" and gave her an A since he could not prove it. Now he only accepts electronic submission 😉

 

[thumbz]

I mean, if you're truly innocent you have nothing to worry about and it's clearly a computer error. When they compare your scantron to the scanned version it'll make sense (it'll probably be a smudge or something).

Now, if you were dumb enough to cheat not realizing that they scan copies of these... well then enjoy your prison time, Mike.

 

[Firkin]

I love all the "innocent until proven guilty" comments, as if this person were being charged in criminal court.

I have never been given back a Scantron, other than for a brief review before it was collected again. At my college, some professors returned exams, some returned all but the final exam, and some didn't return any exams. My take on this is that either it's a complete mistake, or OP is lying. If it is the second, OP's only course is to come clean immediately and deeply apologize and ask them for mercy. Because having proof of cheating (scanned copy of the card vs. matching card with different answers) is not something you can bluff your way out of.

 

[Destalchemy]

I mod a few subreddits on reddit and sometimes see people I had previously temp banned explain their ban to other users and how the mods suck, are corrupt, etc.

It's always comical because itll be straight up lies that I have to set straight.

Personally, I think OP is probably lying and did cheat, and hes coming here for advice on how to not get in trouble. Just my gut feeling

 

[Smolpuppo21]

I mod a few subreddits on reddit and sometimes see people I had previously temp banned explain their ban to other users and how the mods suck, are corrupt, etc.

It's always comical because itll be straight up lies that I have to set straight.

Personally, I think OP is probably lying and did cheat, and hes coming here for advice on how to not get in trouble. Just my gut feeling

I hate making assumptions about people, but I think I also agree with you. It's tough for bubbles to be changed by some other being besides OP. Regardless, OP, you'd better pray that the professor does not photocopy exams. If you're new to the college scene, take this as a lesson. Academic dishonesty will get you nowhere; thus, it is taken very seriously when caught.

I'm unsure of what explanation OP might have for why bubbles on a scantron suddenly changed. I'd love to hear it, though!

 

[Engrailed]

I hate making assumptions about people, but I think I also agree with you. It's tough for bubbles to be changed by some other being besides OP. Regardless, OP, you'd better pray that the professor does not photocopy exams. If you're new to the college scene, take this as a lesson. Academic dishonesty will get you nowhere; thus, it is taken very seriously when caught.

I'm unsure of what explanation OP might have for why bubbles on a scantron suddenly changed. I'd love to hear it, though!

I’m also very curious on how bubbles on a scantron changed themselves! Keep us in the loop OP! 🙂

 

[la flame]

OP, if your professors have a scanned copy you have 2 options. Either take your lie even further and say your professor personally changed your answers after you returned the scantron in order to frame you , or admit your mistake and beg for mercy. I hope you choose the better option.

 

[ThrowawayShmoaway]

Yeahhh, my take on this is also that OP did change answers before asking for a regrade without knowing that the professor photocopies them first, and is now trying to make us unwittingly help him/her brainstorm ways that this "discrepancy" happened innocently.

 

[Goro]

OP, if your professors have a scanned copy you have 2 options. Either take your lie even further and say your professor personally changed your answers after you returned the scantron in order to frame you , or admit your mistake and beg for mercy. I hope you choose the better option.

I had a student once say that about me, after bombing an exam. Said student got expelled.

 

[Engrailed]

OP is nowhere to be seen after Post #7

 

[Osminog]

OP, this situation is very easy to explain away. Here are some excuses you could use:

"Russian hackers broke into my instructor's computer to rig the grading system."
"My instructor sabotaged me."
"A gun-wielding maniac held me hostage and forced me to change my answers."
"I have an identical twin who pretends to be me and causes havoc everywhere he goes."
"I never took this exam, and I don't know what a scantron is."
"My dog ate it."
"I admit to cheating. It was an impulsive decision, and I know it was wrong. In the future, I hope to prove that I'm better than this. I'm deeply sorry for violating the trust of my peers, my instructor, and my learning community."

I feel like Johnnie Cochran. Good luck, OP!

 

[CherryRedDracul]

I love all the "innocent until proven guilty" comments, as if this person were being charged in criminal court.

Presumption of innocence is also written into every code of student conduct that I've seen, just FYI. It's not a contractually-binding agreement, but school policies are allowed to borrow elements from the law.

 

[KnightDoc]

Presumption of innocence is also written into every code of student conduct that I've seen, just FYI. It's not a contractually-binding agreement, but school policies are allowed to borrow elements from the law.

Yes -- that's why OP has a meeting in a few weeks and hasn't already been thrown out of school. That also doesn't mean that the facts as described, plus OP's AWOL status here, don't make him look guilty. 🙂

 

[NITRAS]

Schools can do whatever they want. You have no "presumption of innocence".

 

[deleted804295]

Hey guys, I’m seeking out advice. I’ve been accused of cheating on a scantron sheet. My professor thinks that I changed the bubble sheet before returning it to her to regrade it because there were discrepancies. I am not a cheater. I have several peers and faculty members who can attest to my character. I am such a hardworking student and would never even think to cheat, especially on a scantron. I don’t know how to defend my innocence and for me all hope seems lost. I have a one on one meeting in a few weeks to discuss the situation at hand. The only thing going through my mind is that there must be a mistake somehow somewhere on the scantron file. After the meeting that one person will here my side of the story and decide my fate. I am desperate and don’t know what to do. How else can I back up and prove my innocence??

Cheating is a death sentence in admissions. Beg for your life and make sure you don't get an IA is all I can say.

 

[KnightDoc]

Cheating is a death sentence in admissions. Beg for your life and make sure you don't get an IA is all I can say.

I'm betting OP is very well aware of that, and that's why he posted, although it appears that, since yesterday, we are all way more interested in this thread than he is! 🙂

 

[Listle]

For all the “innocent until proven guilty” comments that is absolutely not how judicial affairs cases are handled. I sat on a committee that hears these cases (this one rings more than a few bells of ignorant students not knowing the SCANtron scans the documents)

Most universities actually follow a preponderance of evidence. 50% and a feather chance the student acted against the conduct code. Fairly hard to defend against actually. The severity of the decision that then follows has more to do with how the student handles themselves in front of us and whether they try to blame others, act paranoid, or own up and apologize and reflect.

Those that turn around and state their professor framed them never have it go well. Some go so far as “they did it because I’m x race and they are y race, my friend overheard them say a comment about my race so they were out to get me”

Then it gets real messy, not fun hearings.

 

[KnightDoc]

For all the “innocent until proven guilty” comments that is absolutely not how judicial affairs cases are handled. I sat on a committee that hears these cases (this one rings more than a few bells of ignorant students not knowing the SCANtron scans the documents)

Most universities actually follow a preponderance of evidence. 50% and a feather chance the student acted against the conduct code. Fairly hard to defend against actually. The severity of the decision that then follows has more to do with how the student handles themselves in front of us and whether they try to blame others, act paranoid, or own up and apologize and reflect.

Those that turn around and state their professor framed them never have it go well. Some go so far as “they did it because I’m x race and they are y race, my friend overheard them say a comment about my race so they were out to get me”

Then it gets real messy, not fun hearings.

Preponderance of the evidence does not contradict innocent until proven guilty!

As you correctly note, preponderance means 50% plus the feather. Innocent until guilty does not mean the accused needs 50% plus the feather to get off; it means the scale tips the other way and the accuser has to prove guilt, which is, in fact, how it works in the US!!! 🙂

 

[chemphysicsinstructor]

As someone who TA'ed for a course that scanned photos of every scantron post-exam, I find it hard to see how cheating didn't occur. However, I presume it's innocent until proven guilty. If the professor gave scantrons back to the class, and kept photocopies of each one, and you returned yours with different answers bubbled, I can see how it would be identified as cheating.

If the professor took photocopies of scantrons post-exam, and before giving them back, you're out of luck.

When I was a TA, I had to spend the afternoon (once the exams were over) manually photocopying each exam. It was a huge hassle and a waste of paper.

 

[Damson]

I'd say that's a pretty big oversight by the professor if they didn't make photocopies. If I were you, I would look up the appeals process in the student handbook in case you need to consult a higher authority.

One of my professors told us a story about how he gave a student a failing grade on the term paper because the student only submitted the cover page. When the student argued that maybe the professor lost the rest of the paper, he said "you're right" and gave her an A since he could not prove it. Now he only accepts electronic submission 😉

HAHAHA
jackpot

 

[Listle]

Preponderance of the evidence does not contradict innocent until proven guilty!

As you correctly note, preponderance means 50% plus the feather. Innocent until guilty means the accused does not need 50% plus the feather to get off; it means the scale tips the other way and the accuser has to prove guilt, not the other way around, which is, in fact, how it works in the US!!! 🙂

It doesn’t strictly contradict innocent until proven guilty but it doesn’t follow it either. Actually the premise of innocent until proven guilty is based on the courts system of “guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt” or 99.9% chance the person committed the crime. This means the person is assumed 99.9% innocent until proven otherwise as you said. So it is not the same as how it works in the U.S. justice system and the student is not assumed innocent. They are assumed in a limbo 50% state until the scale tips in a direction based on what is presented. This has been my experience, at least. The less the threshold the more the concept of “innocent until proven guilty” fades away. He said she said can easy win a 50% and a feather case when one party is reputable and the other is not - proof or no proof.

 

[Osminog]

Preponderance of the evidence does not contradict innocent until proven guilty!

As you correctly note, preponderance means 50% plus the feather. Innocent until guilty means the accused does not need 50% plus the feather to get off; it means the scale tips the other way and the accuser has to prove guilt, not the other way around, which is, in fact, how it works in the US!!! 🙂

If my entire academic (and possibly professional) career were on the line, I’d want my accuser to have a higher burden of proof than just preponderance of evidence. In a he-said-she-said situation, you already start off at 50-50; it’s not hard for the accuser to tip the balance by recruiting a friend to badmouth you or digging up a minor piece of dirt from your past.

 

[Damson]

I had a student once say that about me, after bombing an exam. Said student got expelled.

HOLD IT.

You're also a professor? 😍

If my entire academic (and possibly professional) career were on the line, I’d want my accuser to have a higher burden of proof than just preponderance of evidence. In a he-said-she-said situation, you already start off at 50-50; it’s not hard for the accuser to tip the balance by recruiting a friend to badmouth you or digging up a minor piece of dirt from your past.

This. It's down to the accuser to provide the evidence, not to the accused to provide the counter-evidence against a claim that is supported by no evidence in the first place

 

[Listle]

If my entire academic (and possibly professional) career were on the line, I’d want my accuser to have a higher burden of proof than just preponderance of evidence. In a he-said-she-said situation, you already start off at 50-50; it’s not hard for the accuser to tip the balance by recruiting a friend to badmouth you or digging up a minor piece of dirt from your past.

I would agree. To be fair, while that does happen, the people who make these decisions are aware of this. It’s taken into account and cases without a shred of real proof *usually* end up in a “not enough information to proceed “ and we throw it out. But if the student starts pointing at the professor saying they’re “out to get them” and playing the blame game , there is less inclination to give that courtesy...

 

[Tenk]

I had a student once say that about me, after bombing an exam. Said student got expelled.

 

[Goro]

HOLD IT.

You're also a professor? 😍

This. It's down to the accuser to provide the evidence, not to the accused to provide the counter-evidence against a claim that is supported by no evidence in the first place

You never noticed the word "Faculty" under my name??????

I'd like to reiterate that colleges are not courts of law.

 

[deleted966164]

How has this not been posted here yet?

 

[KnightDoc]

It doesn’t strictly contradict innocent until proven guilty but it doesn’t follow it either. Actually the premise of innocent until proven guilty is based on the courts system of “guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt” or 99.9% chance the person committed the crime. This means the person is assumed 99.9% innocent until proven otherwise as you said. So it is not the same as how it works in the U.S. justice system and the student is not assumed innocent. They are assumed in a limbo 50% state until the scale tips in a direction based on what is presented. This has been my experience, at least. The less the threshold the more the concept of “innocent until proven guilty” fades away. He said she said can easy win a 50% and a feather case when one party is reputable and the other is not - proof or no proof.

With all due respect, innocent until proven guilty only means the presumption going in is on innocence, not guilt. What we are talking about is the standard of proof. The beyond a reasonable doubt (99%, or what you want to call it) is what's used in criminal cases. The preponderance (50% plus whatever) is used in civil cases (like The People's Court, which is where I learned this! 🙂) like a school tribunal, which is NOT a criminal proceeding.

Innocent until proven guilty is the universal premise; the difference is in the standard of proof used. Preponderance of the evidence is entirely consistent with innocent until proven guilty!! 🙂

 

[KnightDoc]

If my entire academic (and possibly professional) career were on the line, I’d want my accuser to have a higher burden of proof than just preponderance of evidence. In a he-said-she-said situation, you already start off at 50-50; it’s not hard for the accuser to tip the balance by recruiting a friend to badmouth you or digging up a minor piece of dirt from your past.

True, and this part certainly sucks in a civil matter with huge consequences (which you would hope the tribunal would take into account -- i.e., the strength of the evidence before determining punishment), but the burden is still going the other way, and they have to prove guilt while you do not have to prove innocence.

This is all very interesting, but irrelevant here, because this is going to come down to the images of the scantron, not some rando badmouthing the OP.

 

[HopeP]

All I know that she said that some that appeared to be wrong were right and vice versa.

This may happen if scanned as a mirror copy.

 

[KnightDoc]

This may happen if scanned as a mirror copy.

Well, assuming that happened and his original score was higher than 50%, then his regraded score would be lower, and he probably wouldn't be having a "meeting" in a few weeks! 🙂

 

[imbesrs]

has op delivered yet

 

[Listle]

With all due respect, innocent until proven guilty only means the presumption going in is on innocence, not guilt. What we are talking about is the standard of proof. The beyond a reasonable doubt (99%, or what you want to call it) is what's used in criminal cases. The preponderance (50% plus whatever) is used in civil cases (like The People's Court, which is where I learned this! 🙂) like a school tribunal, which is NOT a criminal proceeding.

Innocent until proven guilty is the universal premise; the difference is in the standard of proof used. Preponderance of the evidence is entirely consistent with innocent until proven guilty!! 🙂

Yes the standard of proof is the determining factor of determining guilt vs. innocence but when the standard of proof decreases the end result is less “proving” of anything and more determining “the assumption of guilt” or placing greater burden on assumption of innocence to prove innocence. The reason it is “innocent until proven guilty” is because the burden of proof is so high, not the other way around.

Schools do not follow and do not have to follow similar rules to the U.S. judicial system or civil court. Decisions made can be appealed as high as Chancellor/Dean (whoever is the highest position in the University) but if the end result is unfavorable to the accused there is nothing beyond that. The school can’t be held in civil court to overturn anything.

For example, when I would receive notification of an upcoming case, in no situation did I think “I will assume this person is innocent” (and I have 0 information before arriving at the proceedings). As a caveat I never thought “I will assume this person is guilty.”

If a professor or another student says they saw a student cheat and reports the seat number to the professor and that is the only information we have, it is technically not “provable” by a courts definition. It is circumstantial at best, and yet we expect the student to have a defense or explanation. (There have been valid ones, believe it or not). Otherwise the professors word is taken as a form of proof.

My point is innocent until proven guilty isn’t a modality of thought taken by these committees. Typically there’s a neutral assumption, which is how it should be when the burden of proof is “more likely than not - 50%”. The burden of proof at initial onset of the case is equal to the burden of assumption (assumption of innocence).

If the burden of proof is .1%, the opposite of the U.S. system, the appropriate assumption is guilt and the burden of proof of innocence is on the accused.

I am not sure what your point is by those comments. Of course I know all of what you mentioned in regards to court and the law. But that’s not how schools and their judicial systems operate. It may differ at other schools, but I am certain some faculty on here can back up that “innocent until proven guilty” isn’t the “expected mentality” or assumption in honor code or conduct code violations. @Goro @LizzyM

 

[Goro]

Yes the standard of proof is the determining factor of determining guilt vs. innocence but when the standard of proof decreases the end result is less “proving” of anything and more determining “the assumption of guilt” or placing greater burden on assumption of innocence to prove innocence. The reason it is “innocent until proven guilty” is because the burden of proof is so high, not the other way around.

Schools do not follow and do not have to follow similar rules to the U.S. judicial system or civil court. Decisions made can be appealed as high as Chancellor/Dean (whoever is the highest position in the University) but if the end result is unfavorable to the accused there is nothing beyond that. The school can’t be held in civil court to overturn anything.

For example, when I would receive notification of an upcoming case, in no situation did I think “I will assume this person is innocent” (and I have 0 information before arriving at the proceedings). As a caveat I never thought “I will assume this person is guilty.”

If a professor or another student says they saw a student cheat and reports the seat number to the professor and that is the only information we have, it is technically not “provable” by a courts definition. It is circumstantial at best, and yet we expect the student to have a defense or explanation. (There have been valid ones, believe it or not). Otherwise the professors word is taken as a form of proof.

My point is innocent until proven guilty isn’t a modality of thought taken by these committees. Typically there’s a neutral assumption, which is how it should be when the burden of proof is “more likely than not - 50%”. The burden of proof at initial onset of the case is equal to the burden of assumption (assumption of innocence).

If the burden of proof is .1%, the opposite of the U.S. system, the appropriate assumption is guilt and the burden of proof of innocence is on the accused.

I am not sure what your point is by those comments. Of course I know all of what you mentioned in regards to court and the law. But that’s not how schools and their judicial systems operate. It may differ at other schools, but I am certain some faculty on here can back up that “innocent until proven guilty” isn’t the “expected mentality” or assumption in honor code or conduct code violations. @Goro @LizzyM

All I can say to the armchair lawyers is that universities are not courts of law.

Student handbooks provide the guidelines for disciplinary actions.

The courts have historically given universities wide latitude in these areas.

Tampering with scantrons is a relatively uncommon IA, but rock solid on the side of the school, since the technology provides evidence directly of tampering. The OPs' story is full of holes, and his/her medical career is over.