Addressing Cheating When Using Test Bank Questions in Online Classes

Instructors often use test banks to save time when creating student assessments. This research finds that paraphrasing test bank questions is an effective way to reduce the advantages gained by students cheating.

Research Summary

When taking online exams, students are performing better on assessments that use verbatim test bank questions compared to paraphrased versions (80.4% average score vs. 69.1% average score). This remained true even after controlling for honor code statements and online proctoring technology.

Key Takeaways

1. Test Bank Questions and Solutions Are Easily Available Online

Students can quickly and easily find test bank questions on the Internet during an exam. They use sites like Chegg, Course Hero, and Quizlet to find questions and solutions.

2. Don't Use Test Banks Verbatim

Using test bank questions verbatim gives an unfair advantage to students who cheat during online exams. Students who find ways to get around online proctoring gain significant advantages when the exam's questions and solutions are available online.

3. Paraphrase Test Bank Questions to Reduce Cheating Advantages

This study shows that paraphrasing test bank questions is an effective tactic to reduce the advantage gained from cheating and better reflects student knowledge.

If you are interested in saving time when paraphrasing your future exams, we suggest you take a look at our dynamic question engine.