Conversations with students about cheating can be challenging, but being direct and consistent helps build a culture of academic integrity. 

Strategies for discussing cheating with students


Conversations about cheating can be challenging, but being direct and consistent helps build a culture of academic integrity

Discussing suspected cheating is probably the last thing faculty want to do, but it’s necessary for protecting academic integrity. You need to approach these conversations thoughtfully with planning, empathy, evidence, and an open mind. But how do you start the conversation, and what do you say? What evidence do you need? Was the behavior intentional? This article provides strategies and talk tracks to effectively address cheating with your students.

Preparing for the conversation

Review your institution’s academic integrity policy

Always review your institution’s academic integrity policy because guidelines and procedures may have changed.

Objectively review the rules

Are your test rules as clear and objective as you think? For example, ‘No talking during the test,’ is pretty straightforward but not comprehensive enough because students could rationalize communicating in other ways. A better rule is, ‘No communicating with other individuals by any means, whether verbal, non-verbal, or electronic.’ Play devil’s advocate here because any ambiguity can derail these conversations. And to improve clarity, replace weaker phrases with more definitive language. For example, instead of saying, “Try not to,” say, “Do not.” Or, instead of saying, “If possible,” say, “You must.”

Establish the conversation’s purpose

What’s your goal for the conversation? Is it a friendly warning about flagged behaviors? Do you just want to tell them about the next steps in the academic misconduct process? Whatever the purpose, be clear with yourself and the student.

Email to request a meeting

Email the student (this keeps a record of your outreach) to request a meeting. Here’s a template:

Subject line: Meeting Request Concerning [course name]
Dear [First & Last Name],

I am reaching out to express my concerns regarding your submission for [test/assignment name] in [course name] this semester [semester 20__). During the [test/assignment], the proctoring solution flagged behavior that was inconsistent with the rules I provided and academic integrity policies at [Institution Name]. I need to meet with you to discuss the situation, hear your perspective, and clarify any questions.

I am available on [list dates and times]. Please respond with a date and time by [date & time].

Please review these [links/attachments] before the meeting:

  • [Institution name] Academic Integrity Policy [link/document]
  • [Course name & number] Syllabus: [link/document]

Talking to a student about cheating

These conversations can be challenging, but being direct, objective, and consistent helps build a culture of academic integrity. 

Stick to the facts

Focus on addressing the situation, not confronting the student. Stick to objective information, such as video evidence from the proctoring solution, course policies, and the institution’s academic dishonesty policy.

Outline the conversation

When you meet with the student, explain that you’ll share your concerns, review the evidence, discuss integrity policies, and assure them they’ll have a chance to share their perspective.

The example conversation in the following sections assumes the online proctoring software flagged the student for using a cell phone.

Sharing your concerns

State your concerns directly: “During the [exam/assignment], the proctoring solution flagged your behavior of [add behavior, such as ‘using a cell phone’], which goes against academic integrity policies.”

Presenting evidence

After sharing your concerns, transition to presenting the evidence. Before showing any evidence, confirm that the student understands what the online proctoring software is and how it works. Then, say something like, “I watched a recording of the flagged behavior, which a proctor also reviewed, that we can watch.”

Some students will watch the recording, but others won’t. If they choose to watch, “Please explain the behavior throughout. We can rewatch any portions as needed.” If not, respect their decision and be highly descriptive about their behavior.

Get their explanation

Ask open-ended questions like, “Can you describe what you were doing here?” instead of leading questions like, “Why were you hiding your phone under the desk?”

How to respond

While some students accept responsibility, others may deny cheating despite clear evidence. But keep an open mind because cheating is rarely straightforward, and it isn’t always intentional.

When an explanation resolves the situation

“This situation can be resolved based on your explanation. I appreciate your cooperation and understanding in this process. These situations are nuanced and offer me a chance to learn.”

When you need other opinions

“Your perspective helps me understand the situation. For fairness, I’ll consult with [person/department] to better understand [topic] and follow up with you by [date & time].”

When students accept responsibility

Even when a student admits to cheating, the conversation can be challenging, and your response depends on whether reporting is required by policy or left to your discretion. “I appreciate your honesty. However, the academic integrity policy requires me to report this to the [department] who determines next steps.”

When students deny cheating, but there’s clear evidence

“I understand you have a different perspective, but given the clear evidence, I will follow the academic integrity policy by reporting the incident to the [department] for further review. They will evaluate the evidence and discuss the next steps.”

Key takeaways:

  • Respond to potential academic dishonesty consistently
  • Focus on the objective facts and evidence
  • Show empathy and choose your words carefully
  • Address the situation instead of confronting the student
  • Keep an open mind and have a genuine dialogue to understand the situation fully
  • Use a secure proctored testing solution to prevent cheating and provide evidence
  • Review test rules, course policies, and institutional integrity policies

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