What is Cheating?  

Like a lot of people these days, I’m inspired by news stories that I come across on Twitter. Some I pass over due to their inconsequential nature, but others are intriguing so I’ll read through them. That’s where my blog comes in. If I come across interesting articles that I’d like to expand on, you’ll find them here.

Earlier, I came across an article written by Kerri Davis, Microsoft’s Anti-Piracy Program Manager, who wrote a thought provoking piece on certain human behavioral tendencies which could be defined as cheating. Though this context pertains to Microsoft certification exams, the overall theme teaches an important message.

In high school and more importantly college, we all knew people that “gave away” certain test questions or blatantly cheated because they got a peak at the answer key. These are the most obvious form, but Davis’ article goes deeper into the not-so-subtle modes of cheating.

She mentions that divulging the types of questions on an exam or even asking other previous test takers about what’s on the exam is a violation of Microsoft’s intellectual property. If caught, the examinee can be “subject to review”.

Higher institutions of learning and Fortune 500 companies a like take no chances with plagiarism or cheating. What we thought was just giving us an upper hand before taking a test before, can have real consequences on your career going forward.

Going on thinking before we speak must be expanded to include “thinking before we test”. Doing so will insure that we make certifications and degrees a fair test of our abilities.

The next time a colleague or classmate about to take an exam asks you to give them answers to the exam, instead, review the concepts with them. Not only will it keep both of you out of muddy waters, it’ll help you to learn. After all, that’s what the purpose of testing is for.