Cheating Q&A: Faith Monaghan

Do you know a lot of people who cheat?

“No.”

What do you think is the most common form of cheating?

“Online, definitely.”

How would you define academic cheating?

“I guess, plagiarizing would be very big for cheating. If you look at an answer and then completely change it, like it still is the same concept but completely different wording, then I think that is okay. But as soon as you straight-up copy and paste an answer, that’s when I think it’s not good.”

Would you say that being part of a group project and not putting in any of your own effort is cheating?

“You’re more cheating out on your classmates and putting them down because they have to do all the work. But, I don’t think it’s typical cheating.”

How do you think that cheating should be punished?

“The first time, just tell them not to do it. But after that I would probably give them, I don’t know, detentions don’t really do much for students, but maybe an email home.”

For a lot of students, cheating can stem from a lack of understanding as to the importance of what they’re learning. Do you think students need to have more integrity or do teachers need to better explain the future importance of what is being taught?

“I think it is really important for people to learn why they are doing something because without that purpose, if they think it’s useless, they’re definitely not going to try.”