Preventing Academic Dishonesty: Some Important Tips for Political Science Professors

Abstract A preceding article written by Professor Hardy together with David Burch, “What Political Science Professors Should Know in Dealing with Academic Dishonesty,” was published in Teaching Political Science, Fall 1981. This sequel was a paper delivered at the Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Cincinnati, Ohio, April 16, 1981. Academic dishonesty is a problem that has plagued political science professors for generations. In recent years, however, academic dishonesty among colleges and universities appears to have reached epidemic proportions. Cheating on major examinations has become highly sophisticated, and the production and distribution of plagiarized term papers is now a multi-million dollar business. Political science professors can therefore no longer assume that traditional methods of testing and grading are valid. New methods of detecting and preventing academic dishonesty must be developed and implemented if grades are to have any meaning. The purpose of this paper is to provide members of our discipline with some important guidelines for dealing with academic dishonesty. First, the nature of the problem is examined and some of the pressures and situations that contribute to dishonest behavior are identified. And second, some specific tips are offered to help avert dishonest student behavior in the future. Special attention is given to classroom logistics, test construction, and faculty demeanor.