Guerin 1

Ellie Guerin

Ms. Kusinitz

Writing 104

13 December 2017

Annotated Bibliography

Goldman, Zachary. “Why Do Students Cheat?”. Usable Knowledge (2016). Web. 13 December

2017.

The article provides student opinions on why cheating is prevalent is schools as well as a

solution to the issue. If students were learning in environments that molded to their

understanding of a concept as well as teacher dedication to the time rather than teaching lessons

and testing on them just to maintain a schedule.

The article also provides insight that cheating is based off an unethical decision made

from personal misjudgement. Researchers imply that if students had an extensive understanding

of what is ethical, cheating would not be as big as an issue.

Regarding CHS, this will be useful to uncover if students feel the same deprivation of

proper education. Students at CHS, like the students in the article, could feel a lack of undivided

attention towards them from the Biology teachers. Ideally, in an environment where the teacher

cares about the students’ learning and understanding of a topic, the students will understand and

not feel obligated to cheat.

“Solving a Teaching Problem: Students Cheat on Assignments and Exams.” Eberly Center.

Carnegie Mellon University, 2015. Web. 13 December. 2017.

The website supplies a list of reasons concerning why a student may cheat in school.

Below the reasons there is a brief blurb addressing the issue and possible solutions.
 Guerin 2

One reason explains that students are more apt to cheat when they feel anonymous in the

class. When a student has a relationship with a teacher, cheating and the consequences of

cheating are much more high risk because they do not want to let the teacher down. Students

who lack a connection are not subject to the emotional and social costs causing them to cheat.

Students at Cumberland High School, specifically those in Biology, may be lacking a

connection with the teachers’. The students may also resent these teachers or vice versa causing a

hostile learning environment where the emotional and social costs connected to cheating are

disregarded.

“8 Astonishing Stats on Academic Cheating.” OEDb. Open Education Database, 2008. Web. 13

December 2017.

The listed eight facts that highlighted how common academic cheating is specifically in

college. These cheating habits are habits that are developed in high school. The statistics noted

that cheaters averagely have a 3.41 GPA while non-cheaters averaged a 2.85.

This statistic brings the question if students with higher GPAs at Cumberland are

cheating to achieve their grade point average. The statistics also state that 85% of cheaters deem

cheating essential. If CHS’ cheaters also deem cheating essential, the school is not performing at

the high standard that test scores seem it to be.

“Stuyvesant High School Caught in Cheating Scandal on Regents Exams.”Education. New York

Daily News, 2012. Web. 14 December 2017.

At Stuyvesant High, one student photographed a citywide Spanish exam, English exam,

and physics exam and sent it to over 50 students. This student was expelled from the public high

school which was followed by city meetings full of outraged citizens astonished that the student

was kicked out of school for the administrators to set an example.

 Guerin 3

At CHS, when the Biology test was sent out, one student was not blamed for the answers

being exploited. The article provides insight on the repercussions of allegations on a student

supplying answers to an exam. Using this information, it is possible to investigate what

consequences are in place for cheating at Cumberland and what were the repercussions for the

Biology cheating scandal.

“Harvard Says 125 Students May Have Cheated on a Final Exam.” Education. The New York

Times, 2012. Web. 14 December 2017.

At Harvard, an undergraduate class worked in small groups on a take-home exam that

had explicit directions to be worked on alone. Nearly half of the 250 students, if found guilty,

would be suspended from the university for one year. Similarities were noticed in the students’

exams and once took to administration, students who had similarity were immediately brought

under investigation. The main purpose of the investigation was to increase efforts regarding

teaching students academic integrity.

Harvard took advanced action to solving if the similar exams were results of cheating by

group collaboration. At the highschool level, it is relevant to investigate what administrators

schoolwide, town wide, and statewide define as cheating and what actions are taken to cease

cheating.

“I Cheated All Throughout High School.” Education. The Atlantic, 2013. Web. 15 December

2017.

The article provided a justification of cheating from a “serial cheater”. The article was

written by a teacher hoping that this cheater would provide insight on his experience and why it

was wrong, but it was the contrary. The student revealed he was valedictorian of his class and

had taken over 9 AP classes during his time in high school. He cheated on his in-school test
 Guerin 4

because he believed the curriculum and test techniques of specifically his AP Biology class were

not true representations of his knowledge. He felt he was cheated of the education he deserved in

that class and therefore to earn the grade he knew he deserved, he cheated the system.

The investigation of Biology cheating at CHS will reveal if students feel they are being

cheated of their education. The article will be helpful to generate questions to ask Biology

students about cheating as well as provide an insight to how CHS cheaters may justify their

actions.