The word “cheater” tends to arouse intense emotions in many different people: those who have cheated, those who have caught the cheat, and those who have been used by cheats for their intelligence. The quick glance at someone else’s exam, if intercepted by someone else, is enough to send many teachers over the edge. Cheaters are sometimes caught, but some are so good that they will never be suspected, let alone arrested. Unfortunately, these cheaters manage to treat many people unfairly with their one action. The person the cheater copied from probably studied hard and worked to get a good grade. The cheater himself pretends to be someone he is not, thereby fooling many others. The rest of the class who also did their jobs honestly can rightly say that they too have been treated unfairly, bringing the total number of people affected to much more than just two or three.
Unfortunately, implementing an honor code has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, cheaters who don’t have an ounce of moral fiber will ignore honor codes, while students who care about their grades appreciate the trust their university builds by implementing an honor code.
The first honor code in the United States was implemented more than 230 years ago at The College of William & Mary at the insistence of Thomas Jefferson, who was the mayor of Virginia at the time. Since then, the honor code has been implemented in various ways by a large number of universities, as well as many federal military academies in the United States. One university in particular has implemented a very strict honor code: Brigham Young University. His code demands more than just academics; no revealing clothing, men must be clean shaven, and other rules related to virtuous living.
At Vanderbilt University, a plaque adorns the student life center with a quote from a former president, Madison Sarratt: “I’m giving you two exams today, one in trigonometry and one in honesty. I hope you pass both, but if you have to fail first, let it be trigonometry because there are a lot of good men in this world today who can’t pass a trigonometry test, but there aren’t any good men in the world who can’t pass an honesty test.” Sarratt’s words are sure to strike a chord with students who walk past the plaque and take the time to read it.
However, cheating is not limited to looking at someone’s test. While working on your degree online, you will likely have to take exams that are not proctored, which is a warning to the honor code that can be easily abused. The best advice to follow to maintain the honor code is to work as if there is a supervisor sitting next to you. It may be tempting to look for an answer or four, but you’ll know the true value of your grade, and you’ll have to live with the knowledge that you betrayed the honor code. Being prepared with what you need to know to earn an online degree will help you avoid integrity issues within yourself.