Interview question on cheating

[thebillsfan]

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I've seen threads on this before, but I dont really think there was any consensus...If your best friend was one station ahead of you on a lab practical exam, and you saw him repeatedly looking ahead like he was cheating off the person in front of him, what would you do?"

 

[jc235693]

Say, well why would I be looking a station ahead at my friend wouldn't that look like I was cheating off him!

But seriously, I think in an interview I would say that I would talk to my friend after the exam and ask him if he cheated and if he admitted it I would advise him he needs to come clean to the instructor, and if he denies it I would take his word since he is my best friend and would tell him to be careful next time so his actions wont be confused with cheating and that then if I noticed him in a situation where he looks like he may be cheating in the future I would go to an instructor.

I think if you say something like I would immediately tell the instructor after the exam you will just look like you are trying to suck up and pick "the best answer" because no college student would rat out their best friend without hesitation especially in an ambiguous situation. While saying you wouldn't do anything, which is probably what most people would actually do in the situation, would make you look as if you had low moral character.

 

[EpicBearMan]

I'm not sure that I would mention this in an interview, but I would likely send an anonymous email to the instructor letting them know that I suspected cheating was happening, and that a closer eye needed to be kept or an additional proctor should be present. I'd also confront the suspected cheater as the other poster mentioned. I wouldn't mention names in the email. Academic dishonesty, even a first offense, will go on a student's record and demolish their chances at a professional career. I'm a believer in second chances, and would be more willing to report somebody if a first offense didn't go on their permanent record. First offense punishment should still be severe, but I don't think it should limit one's future. Give a chance to learn from mistakes.

So, would you be more willing to turn in a friend for cheating if it wouldn't destroy his or her future? If the answer to this question is yes for a majority of students, a policy like the one I described could in theory reduce cheating more than the harsher alternatives.

 

[barcoderider]

Afterwards I would ask him, "What the %*^$ are you thinking?" But I wouldn't rat him out. I'm not the morality police.

 

[LebLlama]

i wouldnt say anything.

 

[Cleavername]

I've seen threads on this before, but I dont really think there was any consensus...If your best friend was one station ahead of you on a lab practical exam, and you saw him repeatedly looking ahead like he was cheating off the person in front of him, what would you do?"

i would do nothing, but if it wasn't my best friend, i can't guarantee for his wellbeing.....

 

[LawNonTrad]

I'd only report my friend if the test grades are curved and their cheating could impact my grade. I don't care if they're my friend or not -- they have no right to screw me over like that. If the test grades aren't curved, well, I didn't see anything.

 

[TooMuchResearch]

This is a question on professional ethics. "I wouldn't say anything" is the wrong answer.

 

[jayman883]

i would tell my friend to stop looking ahead, and just cheat off me instead. there. solved.

 

[BearDownAZ]

This is a question on professional ethics. "I wouldn't say anything" is the wrong answer.

Which is frustrating, because this is probably the most likely thing a person would do in real life.

 

[hiyaman]

How could you make the assumption that he was cheating?

 

[TooMuchResearch]

How could you make the assumption that he was cheating?

You don't. You talk to your colleague in private and ask for clarification.

 

[CopToEM]

This is definitely an ethical question and one that's been asked on SDN before. With that said, it's worded strangely, and unlike the way that this question is generally presented. Usually this question is given with enough detail that you're left without a doubt that the person cheated. The question as worded leaves some room for uncertainty so my response would indicate that. Either way, as stated, the wrong answer is, "do nothing."

This question comes up in various forms in all professional interviews. I was asked the same question many times as an interviewee sitting before law enforcement panels. Which, despite popular opinion, is one of the most ethically intensive processes a person can ever go through.

I've always been of the opinion (and it's never bitten me in the arse yet) that the most ethical answer to this question is to turn the person in. However, this is only when there's not a doubt in your mind they cheated. If you know they cheated then I don't believe approaching them yourself is the right thing to do. You're not an investigator and you're not tasked with determining whether or not something is a violation of the academic ethics code for your institution. You need to hand the situation off to someone that is (i.e. professor).

However, in the case of the original post, we don't know if what we saw was in fact cheating. That's what makes this tough. As someone else said, I believe I would let the professor know that I am not certain if what I saw was academic dishonesty but I feel like I should at least make them aware.

The bottom line is, best friend or not, they've put you into a situation that puts your future at jeopardy as well. At my institution (and likely many others) the person who witnesses cheating and does nothing is as guilty of breaking the honor code as the person who cheated. It's not a pleasant situation for anyone - especially you as the friend - but it's their fault the situation even exists.

Moral dilemmas are never fun and they're terrible for friendship.

 

[web2linc]

I wouldn't tell on him even if it wasn't my friend. Cheaters will eventually get caught. But to be honest, If you were focused on your own practicum, you wouldn't know what the next person is looking at. Just let the professors do their job, you do yours.

That's like calling the cops on someone who downloads pirated music.

However, I might talk to him afterwards about it, but I wouldn't go to the professor. Somethings are not worth losing friends over. On the other hand, if my friend shot, killed or sexually assaulted someone, I'd report them to the police real quick.

If you think about it, police see people break laws all the time (j-walking etc.), but they pick and choose what to enforce because they can't stop everyone. Devote your time to more serious issues.

 

[web2linc]

1. Telling on folks could lead to social isolation, so before you decide to tell on someone, make sure you have definitive evidence that they have in fact cheated.

2. You don't have to directly report your friend to the professor. Just tell the professor you witnessed someone cheating on the practicum and that they need to do their job to prevent people from cheating.

3. In the end, cheaters are only cheating themselves.

 

[Cleavername]

I wouldn't tell on him even if it wasn't my friend. Cheaters will eventually get caught. But to be honest, If you were focused on your own practicum, you wouldn't know what the next person is looking at. Just let the professors do their job, you do yours.

That's like calling the cops on someone who downloads pirated music.

However, I might talk to him afterwards about it, but I wouldn't go to the professor. Somethings are not worth losing friends over. On the other hand, if my friend shot, killed or sexually assaulted someone, I'd report them to the police real quick.

If you think about it, police see people break laws all the time (j-walking etc.), but they pick and choose what to enforce because they can't stop everyone. Devote your time to more serious issues.

u made me lawl.

 

[235009]

I'd only report my friend if the test grades are curved and their cheating could impact my grade. I don't care if they're my friend or not -- they have no right to screw me over like that. If the test grades aren't curved, well, I didn't see anything.

so you make a huge fuss and whine to your professor when two students are allowed to make up an exam they missed in a class that's not curved for perfectly legitimate excuses but you're perfectly fine with your classmate cheating.

wtf is going on in your head?! you are devoid of logical thinking (as evidenced by this and your other thread)

to actually answer the thread. you mind your own business. period. you aren't the proctor so you shouldn't be doing the proctor's job.