In today’s evolving educational landscape, online study aids like Chegg.com have become essential resources for students seeking help with their schoolwork. These platforms offer guidance when students face challenges in solving problems or need to confirm if they’re on the right track.
Regrettably, these sites also offer a loophole for academic dishonesty by providing answers to test questions, a breach of academic ethics. Surprisingly, many educators lack awareness of how these platforms can be misused due to the fast-paced changes in technology.
Access to answers
A recent study conducted at George Mason University highlighted the use of Chegg among accounting students to access answers during online exams. Leveraging Chegg’s timestamp feature for question submissions and views, the researchers gathered data from an intermediate accounting course.
Their findings from the spring 2020 semester revealed that almost 13% of students used Chegg during final exams. This percentage notably increased during the summer 2020 semester, where nearly a quarter of the class accessed Chegg during exams.
“Over time, if you use a textbook, there are going to be answers to the textbook and test bank questions somewhere online. And I think most faculty understand that,” the researchers explain. “But none of the faculty that we spoke with were aware that a student can submit an instructor-created question and get an answer in real-time during a live exam.”
Worse than we think
While these stats are startling, the reality is probably even worse. The researchers explain that Chegg users can look up test questions relatively easily, and even if they can’t find the exact question, they’re likely to find one that’s pretty similar. This wasn’t a scenario that was covered in the research, yet the authors believe it will inevitably exist.
The problem is exacerbated by the shift to online learning during the pandemic, with this allowing less rigorous monitoring by faculty. Technological solutions exist to uphold academic honesty during online exams. Tools like LockDown Browser are crafted to restrict online actions—like taking screenshots, copying, or browsing external websites—while students are taking tests. While these applications aren’t flawless, they reduce the likelihood of academic dishonesty during online assessments.
According to the researchers, implementing new exam questions each semester alongside online monitoring methods can effectively deter students from easily accessing test answers on platforms like Chegg or other websites. This approach serves as an additional layer of defense against academic dishonesty.
“At a minimum, if you write brand new questions every time, then you know the question and answer do not already exist on one of these websites,” the researchers explain.
Individual solutions
Professors need to determine the most fitting solution for their individual classes. The researchers emphasize that each faculty member must strike the right balance between time, effort, and protective measures to feel assured and comfortable with the quality of education they provide.
Even prior to the pandemic, roughly a third of higher education courses in the U.S. were taught remotely. In 2022, despite a decreased threat of COVID-19, online courses accounted for 46% of the total. Conaway highlights the potential long-term consequences of normalized cheating.
Achieving high grades through academic dishonesty might place students in positions they haven’t genuinely earned and are ill-prepared for. This issue poses a significant concern regarding the future impact on these students.
“It can be challenging for students to recognize that even seemingly minor instances of academic dishonesty can add up in the grand scheme of their education,” the researchers conclude. “Future employers expect recent graduates to have a certain level of competence, and accounting is a profession that places a strong emphasis on ethics and integrity.”
