Please answer if you are against cheating?

Question

What's your opinion on this situation: Once last year, my math teacher immediately started the class by saying we had a pop quiz. I hadn't quite heard everything that she had said, so I was confused. Was it really a pop quiz? Was it just an open-notes quiz to test our organization? I didn't want to sound stupid by asking the teacher what kind of quiz it was, so I just looked discreetly around me. Somehow, I was convinced I saw people shuffling through their notes while taking the quiz. Now, I know that I just saw what I expected to see. But at the time I thought this was just an open-notes kind of quiz. And my thoughts were confirmed by the fact that the questions were quite difficult (like, she asked us to give full definitions of complicated theorems).

But...after the quiz, I realized that it really had been a quiz quiz. I told her that I had used my notes on the last 3 questions, and she took points off for those questions. But the thing is, I didn't tell her that I had also used my notes for the first 2 questions...I just didn't tell her because I felt fairly sure that I could have gotten those questions right without my notes anyway. But I still feel really bad about not telling her.

Do you think that that was really wrong of me? I don't normally cheat, and I really did get upset about this. I admit that I should not have refrained from telling the entire truth to my teacher...but I sincerely was confused about the nature of the quiz, so it wasn't my intention to cheat. What do you think?

Answer 1

you could have gotten away with all of it and you still fessed up. that was good of you and there is no point in totally failing the quiz if you knew you would have gotten the first two right.  

Answer 2

lol... if she didn't catch you cheating then you shouldn't have said anything. think of it as free points. If your a smart kid... then dont worry about it.  

Answer 3

No you didn't cheat.   You just wasn't sure what kind of test it was because what everyone was doing around you.

You did the right thing and that was trying your best to do the right thing for this quiz.   I never was in that situation but I was in a similar situation several times when we got to grade our own tests in history class.  

Now that was a really hard thing to do.  To grade myself and to either give myself the correct grade as in points or give myself the grade I felt like I dis served.

We all have situations like this at one point or two in our lives.  You just got to do what your gut tells you and to do what you think is right.  Only you will probably know what is the right thing to do.

Answer 4

By the tone of your post I can sense that you are truly upset over this situation and that you won't allow it to happen again - which is great!!

In the future, should you be unclear on ANYTHING in class, please ask your teacher - that's what they are there for.

I can understand why you would be deducted the points, even after your honesty.  You cannot truly learn by cheating.  You are expected to retain the knowledge you are taught - the definition of learning, lol!!

I would mark this in your mind as an experience that won't be duplicated and prove to both your teacher and yourself that you can do the work - without notes - in the future.

Move on and continue learning.

Best wishes for a greatly successful school year.

Answer 5

I'm a teacher, and I think you are fine with what you've done.  Don't complicate it now.  You are an extremely honest person.  It can be difficult for teachers to tell when someone is truthful.  This teacher must believe you to be honest, because he or she did not give you a zero.  Just let it go.  Don't be afraid to admit that you weren't paying attention, as long as you do it rarely (course every teacher is different).  But if you quietly explained that you missed a direction, they shouldn't be upset.  

Answer 6

you shouldn't have told her everything. you had the rights to your notes. you asked a question directly to your teacher and she just looked at you. didn't ask in wat way u mean or anythin like that so its all good. haha our school starts tommorow

Answer 7

You'll be alright! I remember when I was a religious freak I use to act like that. I remember once calling my boss and telling her that I had lied about the reason why I wasn't coming in that day. I was doing waaaay toooo much.

Answer 8

your fine... i cheated once and felt really bad too

Answer 9

Don't sweat it. You were open and honest. Did she ask if any one used notes and she should have been paying attention to her students.

Answer 10

As a teacher, I appreciate the fact that you feel guilty about your actions.  Many students would cheat outright, never tell the teacher anything and then deny deny deny if they were caught.  I personally think your heart and mind are in the right place.  You had points taken off your quiz for the parts you didn't know.  You seem truly remorseful.  I think you've learned your lesson.  Never do it again, and pay attention to the teacher.  It's time to forgive yourself and move on.  

Answer 11

I saw my other classmates cheated all the time even though they get A I still don't like the idea of cheating I try to get my own A it's more challenging that way even though I don't get as good grades as them but I am proud of myself that I didn't cheat but I didn't tell the teacher on them they will get mad at me I rather mind my own business because in the end when they go to college or to the real world they would not get very far with cheating.

Answer 12

your teacher is an @ss.

when teachers dont spell out conditions for a test/ quiz, then dont monitor the class during the test they exhibit incompetence.  the only function of assessment is to measure what students know, and when its done as you described the data gained from the test is useless.

sounds like your teacher needed a chance to read the newspaper.

a test like you describe is a lesson in rewarding cheaters

Answer 13

Don't worry about it too much.  It was not intentional so it should not be too big of a deal.  And if you could have answered it without your notes, i am sure she could figure that from the other work you did previously.  Besides, just forget about it!  Save yourself from some stress!  A quiz is only a small fraction of your overall grade especially a surprise quiz or whatever that was.  And it was wrong, but not THAT wrong.  I would not consider it cheating if you were just looking around to see what the majority are doing.  Although it might seem like cheating, you were not looking off of other people's answers, or their notes.  I do occasionally do that sometimes but i NEVER look at someone's answers.

Answer 14

If you're positive that you could have gotten the first two right anyway, I wouldn't see it as a problem. But if it's really bothering you this much, then just clear your conscience and let your teacher know. So you lose a few points? Do an extra credit assignment or something. Your grade will still be fine and you won't feel guilty anymore.

Answer 15

it was wrong, but just make it up. if that happened to me, i would just try to get a good grade without cheating, or even a bad grade without cheating. at least i would try.

Answer 16

I think you did the right thing, since you would have gotten the first two questions right.  Put your mind at ease.  I'm impressed with your good ethical intentions.  Most people wouldn't be as honest as you were, so we need more people in the world like you.

Answer 17

is that really the most important thing in your life right now?

Answer 18

if you have any questions before a quiz you should ask them and not look around hoping for the answer your teacher was nice enough not to give you a zero and the first two answers if you would have answered them correctly without the notes you wouldn't have looked in them anyway you teacher is to nice and you should have respected her for it  

Answer 19

Get over it.

I doubt the teacher even cares as much as you. You are way too honest.

Answer 20

You'll probably never use the stuff in real life anyway. Sometimes when you cheat, you learn more from the preparing of the cheat sheet than the instructor and you'll find that you don't need it. As an adult I do not cheat on tests because it can affect your career.  

Answer 21

It's always best to be honest in any situation. I think you should have been honest. However, no one is perfect! You seem like a nice person most people would not even care that they did this. However you should never rate or judge youself by "What most people do" Just do the right thing. The right things to do in life are noramlly really hard.

Answer 22

if it wasnt your intention to cheat, dont worry about it, because she didnt explain anything before the quiz. thats her fault for the whole class could have cheated.

Answer 23

It's fifty fifty really, you feel bad so I'm assuming you wont do it again?

But I think what you did was more stupid, than just out right asking.

Answer 24

Its okay.

Answer 25

It's okay. You didn't know. At least you told her about some of the question. Don't beat yourself up about it.

Answer 26

just relax...its different if you went through school cheating all the time

but this time being confused and seeing others use their notes you weren't intentionally cheating so just let it go and be more careful next time...and if you aren't sure just ask, no one will think your dumb, and i am sure the teacher will appreciate you asking instead of doin the wrong thing.

Answer 27

lol, i used to not cheat. then i went to college where some of my professors hated me just b/c i was a blonde-hair white girl/privileged. they would take many many points off for things such as a simple misspelling on my essays and yet give other people 90's for crappy answers. yay racism