
Ways students cheat proctored exams and how to prevent them
Uncover the Most Widespread Ways of Cheating on Online Proctored Exams and Gain Insight on How to Combat Academic Dishonesty in the Technologically Advanced Era. Comprehensive research conducted by Dr. Donald McCabe reveals that a staggering 95% of students confess to engaging in some form of cheating. The fast pace of technological advancement and the widespread adoption of e-learning have only intensified the problem of academic cheating. Stay informed and proactive by exploring the top 10 methods students use to cheat and gain valuable insights on how to effectively prevent academic misconduct in the digital classroom. Empower yourself with the knowledge necessary to create a fair and honest academic environment in the digital age
How does Proctored exam work?
Online proctored exams are a way to monitor test-takers and maintain the integrity of the exam. Unlike traditional exams, which are supervised by a human invigilator, proctored exams can be monitored by a human proctor or through proctoring software. This ensures that students follow the rules and regulations of the exam, maintain a fair learning environment, and receive necessary assistance.
The process of taking a proctored exam is similar to taking a traditional exam. Students must first verify their identity by providing a photo or scan of their ID and enabling their webcam. The proctoring software will then monitor the exam, flagging any suspicious activity and recording all data for future review.
Proctoring software may have various features such as audio and video recording, facial recognition, authentication, lockdown browser, examination content protection, and noise detection. These features work together to ensure the integrity of the exam and provide a fair testing environment for students.
Understanding the Consequences of Cheating on a Proctored Exam
The integration of technology has been a game-changer for the education sector, revolutionizing the way we learn and facilitating remote education. Online learning has offered numerous benefits such as flexibility, scalability, and reduced costs for both students and educational institutions. Despite its many advantages, technology has also introduced new challenges, particularly in terms of academic integrity. With the easy access to information made possible by the internet and other technological tools, students have found it easier to cheat during online exams.
To tackle this challenge, educators must stay vigilant and keep abreast of the latest cheating techniques employed by students. This requires a proactive approach, where educators understand the cheating methods used by students and adopt effective strategies to maintain the integrity of the digital learning environment. Just as Sun Tzu noted, the key to overcoming any adversary is to understand them. Therefore, it is essential to examine the most prevalent and innovative cheating techniques to prevent student dishonesty during online exams.

Preventing Cheating in Online Proctored Exams: 10 Clever Ways Students Cheat and How to Stop Them
- Portrayal and Playacting
The use of technology in online exams has made it easier for students to cheat, and impersonation is one of the most common forms of misconduct. This involves a student asking someone else to take the exam on their behalf, which can occur before or during the examination session. This type of cheating is particularly difficult to detect because students can alter their identification documents, share exam login credentials, or simply use someone else’s identity during the authentication process.
To counter this problem, it is essential to improve the authentication mechanism to make it more secure and reliable. Implementing a two- or three-factor authentication approach is one solution. This can include verified ID, facial recognition using a web camera, and a one-time password sent to a previously registered mobile device. This approach makes it more difficult for students to cheat by impersonating someone else and increases the security of the authentication process.
Moreover, using AI-based proctoring software can help detect suspicious behavior and actions during the examination session. The software can detect unusual noises, the presence of other devices, and anomalous body language. This technology can provide an extra layer of security and help educators maintain the integrity of the online exam environment.
In conclusion, it is important for educators to stay ahead of the curve and recognize the latest cheating methods used by students. By improving the authentication process and implementing AI-based proctoring software, educators can ensure the academic integrity of online exams and promote fair and honest evaluation of student performance.
- Leverage Advanced Technology to Tackle Cheating in Online Exams
Gone are the days when students cheated by writing formulas on their palms or using course books during exams. Today’s cheaters have access to various technologies and devices to help them cheat during online assessments. Some of these include screen sharing software, such as Zoom and Google Meet, which allow students to collaborate with others and find answers, as well as using mobile phones, smartwatches, and other devices to search for information on the internet or communicate with helpers.
To combat these cheating methods, educators should adopt cutting-edge technologies, such as proctoring software, that provide a secure exam browser, detect unusual noises, monitor tabs switching, conduct advanced audio and video proctoring, and use AI data analysis. This technology helps to prevent students from cheating by ensuring the academic integrity of online exams and promoting fair evaluation of student performance.
- Limited scope
AI tools are limited in their ability to generate text and may not be able to cover a wide range of topics or perspectives. - Efficient use of VMs (Virtual Machines)
Make it SEO friendly: Virtual machines are a less common but sophisticated way of cheating during online exams. A virtual machine functions as a separate computer environment, and while proctoring software monitors the main operating system of a device, some students use virtual machines as an extra operating system to search for answers to exam questions.
To prevent this type of cheating, it’s recommended for educational institutions to adopt automated and AI-based proctoring solutions. These technologies are highly effective at detecting suspicious student behavior, such as extra noises like typing, and provide a more secure and fair evaluation of student performance. By implementing advanced proctoring solutions, educational institutions can ensure the academic integrity of online exams and promote fair assessment of student knowledge and skills.

- Using external screens or projectors
Many students attempt to cheat on exams that are monitored remotely using proctoring software by mirroring their computer screen to an external device such as a projector or display. However, this method is not effective as the AI-based proctoring solutions can recognize any irregular body movements and record the surrounding video. This helps in preventing any form of cheating during the examination by deterring other individuals present in the room. Hence, students should be aware that AI proctoring systems can detect and prevent this type of cheating. - Old school methods like keeping notes and writing on palms
Traditional Cheating Methods Remain, but Pose No Threat to Online Proctored Exams. Despite traditional cheating methods like secret notes or written cheat sheets still being present, they are not a significant threat to the security of online proctored exams. Both automated AI software and live remote proctors can easily detect and prevent this type of cheating through their monitoring of student behavior and movements. - Help from family and acquaintances
At-home exams can make it easier for students to receive outside assistance from friends, family members, or experts who may be present and use the internet to find answers. However, some students may attempt to cheat by mirroring their computer screen or using screen-sharing tools to show the test content to their helpers. Advanced proctoring technologies can effectively combat this type of academic dishonesty and uphold the integrity of the examination process. - Using google and other search engine to find answers
Online proctored exams are a convenient way for students to take exams from the comfort of their own homes using desktop computers, laptops, or other internet-enabled devices. While this allows for a less stressful exam experience, it also presents opportunities for cheating as students may attempt to use the internet to find answers.
To combat this type of academic dishonesty, it is recommended to use proctoring solutions that incorporate a lockdown browser and AI-based technology. The lockdown browser prevents students from accessing the internet during the exam, while the AI-based technology can detect any suspicious body movements and objects in the test-taker’s surroundings. This helps to ensure a fair and secure exam environment, free from any outside assistance or disruptive activities. - Breaks during exams
To find cheating opportunities during exams, students may use poor internet connection or bathroom breaks as an opportunity to seek assistance from notes, friends, or family members. The challenge with this type of dishonesty is that it can be difficult to distinguish between genuine and fake excuses.
To avoid this issue, it is suggested to either minimize the number of breaks or clearly communicate to students that they must remain on camera for the duration of the exam, including in the case of an emergency bathroom visit.
- Sharing test questions and contents with others
Academic misconduct in the form of exam content sharing is a prevalent issue during both in-person and virtual exams. Students may take photos or screenshots of the exam questions and provide them to peers who will be taking the exam in the future.
To prevent this, implementing proctoring software that features a lockdown browser is an effective solution. This technology can prevent the sharing and duplication of exam content, ensuring the integrity and fairness of the assessment.
- Hacking the correct answers using programming and technology
Students with a background in programming and coding may try to cheat by manipulating the answers to multiple-choice questions. They use software that converts the exam content into code and identifies the correct answers, which are represented as 1s and 0s, while the rest of the information consists of coding text.
The most effective way to prevent this type of cheating is to utilize sophisticated technology that can detect and monitor on-screen activities during exams. This ensures that any attempts to manipulate exam results are detected and prevented, maintaining the integrity and fairness of the assessment.
Conclusion
Academic honesty remains a pressing issue in both in-person and virtual learning environments. Despite the efforts of educators to secure the validity of online exams through technology, students continue to find new methods for cheating, such as utilizing the internet for answers, seeking outside help, and utilizing sophisticated devices.
To effectively combat dishonesty during online exams and assessments, academic institutions must remain vigilant and keep abreast of the evolving tactics used by students. By doing so, they can implement remote proctoring solutions that are tailored to their specific needs, ensuring that academic integrity is upheld.
