Live data from Hacker News

Finding cheaters using multiple-choice comparisons

jd-mathbio.blogspot.com

11–20 of 62 posts

Re: Finding cheaters using multiple-choice comparisons

#11
post #2

I don't particularly like the idea of harassing possibly innocent students. Innocent students might be under pressure with no proof of innocence, since they assumed to be guilty. They might do a cost/benefit analysis and admit guilt. Also if cheating is really such a concern, why not just handle it in a similar way to the american GRE's or SAT's ?

When you suggest handling it like American GREs and SATs, what do you mean? Do you mean computer-given multiple choice tests? Or is there something about how they handle paper and pencil exams that you think should be widely adopted?

I'm going more by there security practices in general, not really one in particular . https://www.ets.org/gre/institutions/about/security/

I think if academic integrity is huge issue, perhaps we should adopt some formal rules for all tests, rather than being at the whims of different professors, or universities.

Essentially we need some kind of check and balance before we try to discredit students on a metric like the one being described this article.

The GRE's as a specific example have a high degree of trust and a fairly proven track record for being secure and preventing cheating. It might not be that much of stretch to apply whatever they seem to be doing to combat academic integrity issues.

I think I rambled a bit, but I hope that made sense

Re: Finding cheaters using multiple-choice comparisons

#12
Cheating is a natural consequence of society putting a huge value on grade-point-averages and other dullard measures of achievement.

If I had to sit through a lecture room with 200 students (TWO HUNDRED!) and I was absolutely confident that the professor cannot possibly give a shit about my learning in this crowd, I too would cheat.

Re: Finding cheaters using multiple-choice comparisons

#13
post #2

I don't particularly like the idea of harassing possibly innocent students. Innocent students might be under pressure with no proof of innocence, since they assumed to be guilty. They might do a cost/benefit analysis and admit guilt. Also if cheating is really such a concern, why not just handle it in a similar way to the american GRE's or SAT's ?

I agree -- visually judging outliers is a pretty poor test of statistical significance. The fact that they sat near each other does give them some weight though.

The big problem is that it only works for people who share a fairly unique answer set. In other words, they need to all have a decent number of wrong answers which correlate. What about people at the bottom-right of the graph who had a high correlation simply because they answered nearly all of the questions correctly? Certainly most of them are innocent, but how would we know? It seems this technique can only finger people who cheat and still end up with a mediocre grade, not those who cheat and end up acing the exam.

Re: Finding cheaters using multiple-choice comparisons

#14
post #6

Today I learned that "invigilator" is a word. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/invigilate

A few years ago, I was an ESL teacher at a university in southern China. As an American I remember having a fair amount of confusion when first talking with one of the Chinese teachers at the university, who had been taught with more British English, and kept using the word "invigilate" that I had never heard of.

Re: Finding cheaters using multiple-choice comparisons

#15

Cheating is a natural consequence of society putting a huge value on grade-point-averages and other dullard measures of achievement. If I had to sit through a lecture room with 200 students (TWO HUNDRED!) and I was absolutely confident that the professor cannot possibly give a shit about my learning in this crowd, I too would cheat.

It's probably a 1st year lecture, those students that are actually concentrating in biology or a related-field already took an AP in high-school, and the rest need to fill graduation requirements with a science course. It's a test to see if you read a textbook for 20 hours.

Re: Finding cheaters using multiple-choice comparisons

#16
post #6

Today I learned that "invigilator" is a word. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/invigilate

A few years ago, I was an ESL teacher at a university in southern China. As an American I remember having a fair amount of confusion when first talking with one of the Chinese teachers at the university, who had been taught with more British English, and kept using the word "invigilate" that I had never heard of.

What word do you use instead? "Exam Administrator"?

Re: Finding cheaters using multiple-choice comparisons

#17

Cheating is a natural consequence of society putting a huge value on grade-point-averages and other dullard measures of achievement. If I had to sit through a lecture room with 200 students (TWO HUNDRED!) and I was absolutely confident that the professor cannot possibly give a shit about my learning in this crowd, I too would cheat.

"a natural consequence of society......"

You could use this justification to rationalize any sort of unethical behavior you like. Embezzlement is a natural consequence of society putting a huge value on owning a Benz and other dullard measures of achievement!

That is to say, I disagree wholeheartedly.

Re: Finding cheaters using multiple-choice comparisons

#18
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A few years ago, I was an ESL teacher at a university in southern China. As an American I remember having a fair amount of confusion when first talking with one of the Chinese teachers at the university, who had been taught with more British English, and kept using the word "invigilate" that I had never heard of.

What word do you use instead? "Exam Administrator"?

I had to look this one up too. I've always called them proctors.

Re: Finding cheaters using multiple-choice comparisons

#20
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A few years ago, I was an ESL teacher at a university in southern China. As an American I remember having a fair amount of confusion when first talking with one of the Chinese teachers at the university, who had been taught with more British English, and kept using the word "invigilate" that I had never heard of.

What word do you use instead? "Exam Administrator"?

I use the word "proctor."
Post reply on HN