9 Unique Ways Students Cheat in Online Exams

Today, due to the advancement of technology and also some other conditions, most universities and institutes hold their exams online, which creates an opportunity for students to cheat. Especially in the last few years, due to the increase in cases of covid-19 and the closure of centers, the process of online education and exams has increased. On the other hand, considering that the number of applicants for admission to top universities is very high. As a result, when conducting high-stakes online exams, universities, and organizations often come up with solutions by thinking of ways to prevent candidates from cheating – especially candidates from remote locations.  However, one of the most searched internet questions in educational fields is the question of ways to cheat in online tests.  On the other hand, due to the increase of cheating in online exams, students are always inventing new ways to overcome the control technologies. Due to the fact that conducting exams is a simple matter.  Because for a private center or educational institute, there are no location lists as students are able to take the exam at any location.  Taking exams has become easy and cheap with access to a computer with an internet connection.  But on the other hand, with more convenience, the challenges have increased, one of the most common of which is fraud.

Here we explore smart technologies that can help prevent such an event and then the list of 9 unique ways students cheat in online exams.

1- Screen sharing/mirroring

Candidates can use multiple monitors to approach and answer their friends' exam questions at the same time when taking exams from far away locations.  Candidates have been known to use screen sharing to cheat in exams.

2- Using high-tech equipment

Students often find ways to cheat on online tests involving cameras. Companies that conduct high-tech online tests like CAT, MAT, and other competitive exams have recently been cited as test takers using smaller and virtually undetectable Bluetooth devices.

Candidates use calculators that can store formulas and other data to help them score higher in their exams.  Test takers have agreed to use high-tech devices to address their concerns about how students cheat in online exams.  They also said that some students use traditional cheating methods such as handwritten notes and even writing on their bodies and palms.

3- Mobile phone and Taking notes on smartphones for using mobile applications

In proctored online tests, cheating, and the use of smartphones is on the rise.  Connected devices help candidates save answers and help test takers find answers from each other or external sources.

Some students keep exam-related notes such as formulas and definitions on their smartphones, which they can secretly look at during exams. Also, mobile educational applications such as Cymath and Brainily have the ability to help quickly solve exam problems.  For example, by posting a question in the apps, you can also get real personalized responses by getting recommended auto-answers or responses within minutes.

4- Automatic coding software

Another method of cheating is the use of auto-coding software by candidates to clear the exam during school/university exams or during recruitment coding exams.  In other words, these types of software create such programs without the volunteer's involvement in writing the code.

5- Navigation suggestions

Today, the misuse of easy and convenient access to the Internet and social media tools by students with the aim of cheating in exams has increased.  Their tendency to enter unauthorized websites, the duration of the test, and also by placing the questions in the URL, they find the best solution available to steal.

6- Impersonation

Auditioning for someone else is a famous trick or idea that we have seen so many times on TV shows.  Despite this, in remote online tests, there is still a possibility of impersonating the candidate and taking the test on behalf of another person.  In other words, you can get a high score by finding a successful student and asking them to take the test for you, without having to use cheats or tools.  For years, many testers have used falsifiers to destroy so-called "high-integrity" tests.

7- Using external advanced electronic devices

Some creative fraudsters use hard drives, USB, microSD, and other external smart devices that can be hidden and also challenging to identify in online exams by students inserting it before or after the exam.  They achieve their goal by preparing a copy of the online tests to sell or share it with other students after the test.  Today, high-tech devices are not just for secret agents on spying missions, students are also using them to cheat during exams.  Among them is the use of micro Bluetooth headphones, invisible smartwatches, and augmented reality glasses to help them during the exams. Due to the webcam monitoring, the exams may not be effective and transparent, as a result of these tools, the possibility of delirium is normal and practically undetectable.  to appear The devices can also be hidden by students under the desk.

8- Copy paste and other keyboard shortcuts

One of the most common types of cheating in online tests is using the technique of copying and pasting answers.  With the possibility of copying and pasting answers from documents or notebooks that are prepared in a separate window, they use this method. The said things are simple ways to trick some remote control software into not knowing anything about what is going on. The page does not have access.  Therefore, if it is equipped with IRIS Invigilation software, the student will be caught cheating due to the recording of screen activity.

9- Deliberate withdrawal from the test

Students who intend to cheat in online tests, usually try to leave the test intentionally because they want to outdo the software.  In fact, they use excuses such as poor internet connection or power outage to create a way to exit the exam and turn off the camera recording, and then quickly search for the answers to the exam questions.  Finally, they log back into the system and continue their assessment.

Why is cheating on exams such a big concern?

According to the purpose of the exams, fair assessment of students.  If the fairness of the exam is disturbed, the results will also be incorrect in the reflection of the exam.  On the other hand, cheating creates other concerns that an educational institution should be aware of, distracting the institution from its main purpose. Content leakage is one of the main concerns, which is the unauthorized presentation of exam documents such as question banks to a third party.  Whenever this happens, there is a possibility of disrupting the integrity of online tests and your person.  There can be several reasons for content leakage, but the most important one can be due to a lack of monitoring or malfunctioning of the application tools during online exams.  However, all of these increase the possibility of student cheating.

How do students cheat in their online exams?

Now the method of cheating has gone far beyond writing down mathematical formulas on the palms.  Today, students use clever ways to cheat and in most cases, they achieve their goal by exploiting the technologies around them.

Share the screen with another computer as well. Screen sharing during online exams is not necessary for students.  Due to remote exams, students have the option of logging in through a friend's computer who can log in from another computer to access the exam questions and provide help or answers.  Students also achieve this by using other software such as Team Viewer, where a third party can remotely control the student's computer to take the exam on their behalf.

Impersonation to obtain third-party assistance

Authentication is done by a facilitator or exam supervisor during face-to-face exams. However, it is much more difficult to ensure that only the right people are able to take the online test, especially those who are not supervised. Even when there is webcam monitoring, students have the option of spoofing by showing fake identities such as a fake driver's license or school ID card, which can make virtual authentication difficult.

How to minimize cheating in online exams?

Using test review software is one of the common solutions.  In fact, this specially designed software allows students to participate in exams with features such as automatic monitoring, identity verification, and computer locking.  Although there are possibilities of technical complications and high costs associated with this solution, it is still considered one of the most effective methods in this field.

Today, some schools use a more convenient and cost-effective method instead of the test review software that they have adopted for the purpose of testing students.  For example, questions can be sent via document attachments securely via email.