DO I REALLY CHEAT?
Cheating in exams is an educational phenomenon that for many years still questionable. Indeed, there is still controversy of what counts cheating. Some argue that cheating is when a person picks up a small piece of paper from his/her pocket and starts writing down what s/he sees in this paper without usually having any preconceived ideas what really exists in it. Yet others claim that cheating is the process by which a student takes someone else’s ideas s/he finds on the internet. This is the so called “plagiarism “or, for some, the unconscious cheating(The student does not realize that s/he is cheating till s/he is surprised by the mark s/he gets.). The questions, however, are what does really cheating mean? Does it have a fixed definition? Why are teachers so possessed with cheating? Who are responsible for the act cheating? Or simply, what are the forces that immensely push students to cheat? Are students the only participants that commit cheating or there are invisible ones? And finally, what are the effective techniques to cheat on the exam? In this paper I will seek to answer these questions from different layers and perspectives as well as the types of cheating and also to rectify some of the misunderstandings people get when they hear the word “cheating”.
What does really cheating mean?
Generally speaking, cheating is when a person misleads, deceives, or acts dishonestly on purpose. It may happen at school, at home, or while playing a sport. Cheating, in other words, may take a lot of forms and shapes, depending on when the process/act of cheating takes place.
As mentioned before, the act of cheating varies from one person to another, some of whom use it in sport, others in gambling, and others in education. Each of which has its own techniques and methodologies.
In point of fact, cheating is divided into two types: Positive cheating and Negative cheating. The first is when the cheater is fully-aware of what s/he doing by using her /his own words and his own hand- writing (not typed ones). The person involved in this type is usually active in his/her class. As a matter of fact, this kind of people resorts to cheating either to get the best marks or to impress their teacher. Negative cheating, on the other hand, is when the cheater prepares his/her cheating very late, so s/he does not have enough time to use his/her own writing or to select what s/he is going to cheat; in other words, copy and past is what counted in this type.
What are the most common techniques involved in cheating?
A great number of methods have been invented, each of which has its own characteristics, depending on what type the teacher is and which room the exam takes place. This will count which one a student needs to opt for. To begin with, the student uses small papers that are almost invisible only s/he recognizes what they contain. In this type, a lot of techniques are needed especially “quickness”. Although this type is for some considered old-fashioned, it is still working. The second type is the mobile phone. The latter involves saving documents in your mobile phone or sending SMS(This SMS contains the exam’s questions). to a friend who will do the job for you and answer you back, saving you from the trouble of getting a headache. The third type is to prepare a ready-made draft. In this process, risk and hazard are assumed, taking into account the draft’s color and how much intelligent the teacher is to recognize your trick. The last but not least is to start looking at your friend’s paper(This is assumed to be the stupid technique that one needs to avoid). and copying what you see, sometimes even repeating your friend’s mistakes.
Why are teachers so possessed with cheating?
Cheating suggests breaking the rules, but what do we mean by rules? Rules are set of conventions that are put for people to abide by, and any infraction or transgression against these rules will be severely penalized. On this basis, cheating has become a taboo subject. In simple terms, these teachers were professional cheaters that they hate someone else doing the same thing to them.
Teachers who spot any kind of cheating during the exam consider it as a challenge or more worse an insult.” Don’t insult my intelligence” “If someone caught red-handed…” “I hate cheating” these are some of the phrases that are used during the day of the exam.
Who are responsible for the act cheating?
In any kind of transgression there are always criminals and victims. But who are the criminals and who are the victims? Are they students who want to get good grades without spending the time studying, or Are they teachers who give them nothing but spending the whole session either by talking about their personal life and how good they were or by giving nonsense information that have nothing to do with the actual course. As a result, students do not know what to do so they resort to cheating.
Are students the only participants that commit cheating or there are invisible ones?
As mentioned above, students are not the only participants on whom the blame must be put. In fact, teachers are also responsible for cheating using, of course, different ways that for them seem natural and legitimate. For instance, most of the teachers burden their students with so many things that s/he cannot control in due time. So the only way to get over all this is to cheat. One, however, needs to ask what are effects of cheating? Are there only the positive ones?
Various are the effects of cheating which again vary from one person to another. To begin with, cheaters often lose their confidence in that they don not rely on themselves anymore, believing that they are not going to make it. So for them, cheating is the effective and the assured way to pass the exam. Secondly, cheaters always feel guilty, thinking they are doing something wrong, something against the rules which result in depression and moreover distrust. Eventually, cheating undermines your position within your classmates in being the outcast or, simply, you will reject yourself from being involved with them.
What are the effective techniques to cheat on the exam?
Cheating on the examination is one of the most risky things that you could do. However, its reward is sometimes remarkable, especially when you have several exams in one day or have to face the hardest exam of the year. Even though there are many methods to become a professional-examination cheater, using, if needed, the above-mentioned methods and techniques. However, many procedures must be taken into account first; namely mood, eye-sight, and techniques.
Your mood while taking the exam is one of the most important elements. If you step in the classroom with bad feelings, a worrying face, and sweating profusely – that’s it, you are done. Your exam supervisors will notice when they see a worried look on your face, and trembling hands when you receive the exam sheet. Then, they will put eighty percent or more of their focus on you. However, if you have confidence stepping inside classroom with neat clothes and bright face, they may think of you as a good student who is too confident to get the highest grade in that exam. That is how you create your own safety zone among your enemies.
The second important element is your eye-sight. Actually, while taking exam, all cheaters need to watch their supervisors even though how scary they are. But that might be the worst mistake if your supervisors notice you looking at them. They will wonder why you look at them so often. They will pay back and look at you as much as you do. That’s it. You have no chance to make a move. The tip here is try to avoid watching your supervisor too much, but does not forget to know where they are. You can try to look like a thinker, staring up and putting the chin on your hand, looking somewhere near the supervisors, and making sure they are still in your peripheral vision. That is enough to know where your enemies are and what they are doing. You should use your ears more than your eyes because hearing and listening work just as well to detect your supervisors’ positions. Moreover, your sense of hearing will be very sensitive in exam time. Do not look at them when they are approaching you within a specific range – mine is five feet, or you will raise their suspicious level. If you remember and apply correctly the rules above, you can ensure that it will be almost impossible for them to detect you.
After getting enough confidence and keeping low suspicious level, now you can start doing your job. Everything that you can bring to your classroom now becomes your best friends; erasers, rulers, pens, pencils, or even your watch can be good places to hide your cheat sheets. You should prepare them at home .Another important point is that you should avoid doubtful and suspected faces especially those who sit in the back, for they are just a source of disturbance and suspicion.
Conclusion:
All things considered, cheating is not a phenomenon that can only be associated with stupidity or laziness, but rather it is also a phenomenon that is related to intelligence and creativity. Indeed, one needs to avoid the negative aspects of cheating by making it a useful tool by which s/he gets good grades and above all flourish his/her knowledge and mind.
Your comments and remarks will whole-heartedly be appreciated.
Please add and edit any possible ideas that you feel are missing. Your addition will be of course acknowledged.
Ayoub Loutfi, student at faculty of letters,Rabat. Iam 21 years old.
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