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[grendels_mother]

While grading a set of online exams, I discovered two that answered a few fill-in-the-blank style questions (wrongly) in pretty idiosyncratic ways.   I looked at the short essay questions, and the students made the same general points/ comparisons, though the passages did not resemble each other word for word.  I looked at the multiple choice part of the exam, and discovered that the students' answers were all identical (I did use the feature on BB which randomizes the question order, but apparently this was not enough.)    I checked the properties and saw that the students were taking the exam within the same general time period (though one of them started maybe 30 minutes before the other one).  In an online course, it can be difficult to confirm that students even know each other,  but I checked for facebook profiles and confirmed that they are "friends".  ( I confess I am a bit creeped out by myself for having done this.)

The final question on the exam was a multiple choice question (for 0 credit) that read:  "I certify that I have not received any help completing this exam, and that the answers provided are entirely my own.  I understand that if cheating or plagiarism are detected, I will fail the exam and disciplinary action may be pursued through the college."   Both of them checked "yes."    This seems to suggest I have every right to throw the book at them, but what happens if they show up and then deny cheating, and possibly even deny even knowing each other?  Is appropriate to tell them I know otherwise?  Both are coming to my office separately on Monday.  Help.

[melba_frilkins]

At this point it's tricky and depends a lot on your campus culture and how it handles cheating. In my case, I'd tell them both that they get a 0 grade on the exam as it is, that is looks too close to be coincidence so I have to assume they did not earn their own grades. But then I'd give them the option to re-take it in person (and a different version than the original, and different versions for each student if they are coming in at different times).

Were you able to check the IP for the two students while taking the exam online? You might need tech/help desk assistance to get the info. If the two students were from the same IP, that could help your case a bit (but not necessarily, like if they both live together or the IP was the college library, or something). If their IPs are different, that doesn't tell you anything, because two people in the same room can have different IPs.

Generally speaking, for online multiple choice questions, I use a large bank of questions from which they get a random selection. For each chapter it's something like 5 basic/vocab questions from a bank of 200-300, and 15 conceptual questions from a bank of 40-50+. Now, I know they could still collaborate twice and help each other out both times, but at least they can't copy outright.

I'm doing essay questions online for the first time this semester. Your post makes me realize that I need to shuffle those questions as well. Currently I have one fixed question per chapter. I think I should make a bank of 3-4 questions instead. I need that anyway, because I've been having issues with students who open the essay quiz and forget to submit their question within the allotted time. I really should just give them a zero, but I usually accept their answer by email or let them take the exam again during our make-up week. But that's just a way for a student to get an unfair time advantage, isn't it? Thanks for getting me to thinking about all this.

[grendels_mother]

The plot thickens...   
Last week the girlfriend of cheater #1 emailed me to tell me cheater#1 had been called to help out with flooding in the northeast (he's in the national guard) and he was hoping for extra time to take the week's quiz and submit his discussion postings.    Turns out girlfriend is the best friend of cheater #2-- and so now I'm wondering if the girlfriend may have actually taken the exam FOR cheater 1, while collaborating with cheater 2.   What fun.

Thanks for your response, Melba.  I'm afraid my campus culture may be similar to yours, but I despise the idea of having to construct two new exams for these kids-- especially when they acknowledged understanding the penalties for cheating ON THE EXAM itself!

I have had the same problem with essay questions as you have, and have yet to find a good way of dealing with it.

urgh.

[zuzu_]

I think you just have to call them in to your office, separately, and bluff them. Say that you have solid evidence of cheating, and hope they are stupid enough to confess. You have to act like a cop. It's your projection of confidence that makes this strategy work.

Also, you could always try this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHhxZ4BWeBQ

If they don't confess, then I don't think you can penalize them. Your evidence is too circumstantial.

It'll hold until he gets back from NG duty.

[grendels_mother]

Cheater #1 came in this morning telling me should could "explain everything"-- she and cheater #2 merely "studied together."   I have the feeling Cheater #2 will give me the same story this afternoon, which means I'll probably have to construct entirely new exams for both of them to take next week.  Sometimes I hate my job.