Students must balance a variety of factors that can limit significantly the time set aside for studying and completion of academic work. Paid jobs, social life, family expectations, and other demands can contribute to high-pressure situations in which the temptation to cheat can appear as viable strategy for getting by.
The following strategies can help students navigate high-pressure situations without resorting to cheating, thereby maintaining their personal and academic integrity:
1. Consider the consequences of cheating carefully. Both your academic and personal reputations are at stake, in addition to your future prospects both inside and beyond the University. For example, plagiarizing only a few sentences can be easy and seem harmless in the moment, especially with a deadline looming. But getting caught can mean failure of the course, and it will show up on your academic record. (And it’s easy to get caught—faculty are highly aware of the types of material available about their course content in print and online; and they’re often very good at hearing shifts in the style of the writing.) These are much more serious consequences than receiving a late penalty or a failing grade for the assignment. If the course is required for your major, you’ll likely have to take it again, and it might be with the same instructor, which can prove rather awkward for you. Moreover, in the eyes of others, cheating calls into question your personal character and integrity, regardless of the extenuating circumstances that may have led to the act.
It can thus undermine your voice and the trust others have in you, which prevents you from contributing fully to your community of peers and the larger scholarly communities at the University and in your field of study. Such a mark on your character can also travel with you long after, affecting your future endeavors, including career opportunities. Finally, by cheating, you cheat yourself of a learning opportunity to develop your ability as an independent, critical and creative thinker.
2. Reach out for help. Ask yourself, “Who here at UO can help me?” Perhaps the best resource is your instructor, who may be willing to consider an extension, particularly if contacted as early as possible. More than that, if you call on your instructor for help, he or she can clarify the assignment for you, answer your questions, and help you identify strategies for completing it in a timely and satisfactory manner. Don’t underestimate the willingness of your instructors to assist you in the learning process – they want you to succeed.
Additional resources at UO include the following:
• Your academic advisor (contact Academic Advising if you are uncertain of who your advisor is)
• Teaching and Learning Center offers one-on-one peer support through its Writing and Math labs; it also offers classes, free workshops, and online resources on topics like preparing for finals, speed reading, adjusting to University-level academic demands, and more.
• University Counseling and Testing Center offers confidential individual and group counseling and a library of online resources. All fee-paying student are eligible. Call UCTC at 541-346-3227
3. Plan better for next time. High-pressure situations often (though not always) result from poor time-management and organization, which can be improved with a little effort. You might look at the Counseling Center’s Time Management Page. Regularly assess what’s going well for you in terms of your academic performance and study skills, and what practices you need to revise. Also, remember that you are here to learn—keep challenging yourself to do better and find courses, questions, and paths that interest and excite you. Don’t be too upset by occasional mistakes or disappointments—these are part of learning to do difficult things.
—by Jason Schreiner