Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: Cheating Last week, I was giving a unit test. The day before the test, a male student of mine who sits in the back of the classroom wrote some answers on his desk. I found the written test answers at the end of the school day. I know it was this student because he is in my last class of the day in that seat and I know for sure it is his handwriting. While the student intended to cheat, he never was able to cheat on the test since I wiped off his desk. How would you handle this situation? Should intention to cheat be treated the same as actual cheating? Seems like a technicality but I would like some good professional opinions on how others would deal with this matter. Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) I would use this as a teaching moment and say that it was discovered that a classmate had intentions on cheating and that behavior is not tolerated in your class. Explain the significance of cheating and why academic integrity is so vitally important to instill in themselves. After class I would speak with the student and tell them you know it was done on their desk and ask if they know of anything that had to do with it. Give the student the opportunity to come forward. I would let it go the first time, but obviously let the student know you were aware of their intentions, and any further actions pertaining to this will not be tolerated and will result in a zero.