CASPer Scenario For Discussion #48

[PrepMatch]

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Richard has just discovered that his chemistry teacher has been getting her test questions from an online database (that also contains answers and full solutions). Jessica, Richard's friend, is really struggling in the class.​

1. Should Richard tell Jessica about the database?
2. Should Richard inform the teacher that he knows about the existence of this database?
3. If this is a free and open-source database, is using it considered cheating?

Discuss Below !!

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[Fluidity of Movement]

1. No, of course not. This is very clearly an academic integrity option. It's certainly understandable to want to try to familiarize yourself with certain questions, and unlikely they would be able to "Memorize the answers," however this is an unfair advantage and the professor would disapprove. They should try to find other similar style questions perhaps from another publisher or the same book may have extra problem sets or use an older version of the book. If they are struggling they should talk to the professor or seek tutorship.

2. This could certainly be an option however I think the teacher is already aware that these resources exist and it's already outlined in the sylabus the academic integrity policies. Talking to them about it could also perhaps raise suspicions of my own potential academic dishonesty, (which would not use), however it would not be worth perhaps putting myself pointlessly in the crossfire.

3. Only in the context of the professor telling everyone that it's ok to use it. These types of databases are usually only available to professors or instructors and are put online via ilicit measures. There may not be 100% exact guidelines in the syllabus however it should be relatively common sense that training yourself on an answer bank is not the intent of the exam. I can sympathize with those who are struggling perhaps with the verbal components and are really strong students still, and just want to familiarize themselves with the verbiage of the questions, and to look for things that they may not know with unique problems.



5 minutes exactly. Not my strongest responses....