Honor Codes In Schools Essay

Improved Essays
Do honor codes stop students from cheating?
“The first and worst of all frauds is to cheat oneself.” This phrase coined by Gamaliel Bailey details the morals surrounding cheating that is a common event in today’s schooling. This raises the question: Do honor codes effectively deter students from cheating and plagiarizing? Honor codes do not deter students from cheating because they are not respected, they only work in honest environments, and they are not strongly enforced. The inefficiency of honor codes can come from the fact that many students do not respect the honor codes. Students are given hundreds of rules to follow, so honor codes can lose their meaning in the sea of other rules. Sometimes honor codes require students to write a
…show more content…
Honor codes are not as discussed as much as they need to be, but they also are not strong enough. Over forty-two percent of students are not aware of the punishments they will be given if they cheat (Sledge). This shows that schools are not discussing the consequences with their students. Informing the students of the consequences related to violating the honor code will help strengthen it in their minds, which would result in less cheating amongst students. Honor codes were originally very strong and carried very harsh punishments, but as they are implemented they are usually softened or weakened. Honor codes also work better when they are enforced by students (Dirmeyer). This is because when students enforce the honor codes, they become more accustomed to them and they gain an adamant attitude against cheating. The attitude against cheating discourages others from cheating, which creates an honest environment for the school. Honor codes must also be well funded and executed in order to make a strong impact on the students. The schools must invest heavily in developing an importance for academic integrity amongst the students. Students will not cheat if they know it will be bad for their social appearance (McCabe). Students do not want to be embarrassed by other students for cheating in class and this is why an environment of students that are against cheating is so

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Honor Code Dbq

    • 159 Words
    • 1 Pages

    Furthermore, a revision of the Honor Code will not only limit cheating and plagiarizing, but it will ultimately prepare students for their future, with the understanding that breaking rules will end in a negative consequence. Students will evidently grow out of this habit and regain morals that will improve their honesty. The students at RVHS should be aware and constantly reminded that cheating and violating school rules will lead them to be rebellious, and dishonest people in the future who don’t value genuine qualities. With college as the next step of education students must learn that acts in violation of the code will not be tolerated and can end with the student being suspended or expelled (Source C). Moreover, these colleges and universities…

    • 159 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    However, colleges and universities must suspend or expel students who plagiarize since they knew the consequences from high school. Schools that have a honor code but do not maintain or do not have a honor code at all consider it as students working together or “improperly collaborated” as stated in Source B. This source also states that they do not have a honor code because students will not change their ways just because they signed a paper indicating that they would not plagiarize. School see no purpose in having an honor code because it will not change the way of the student since students consider it another rule that they must obey.…

    • 949 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Honor Code Dbq Essay

    • 587 Words
    • 3 Pages

    As it is seen in the students’ responses at Lawrence Academy in Alyssa Vangelli, they said that they did “...not see it as their responsibility” when asked to report cheating (Source B). Another example are the Harvard students in the article about honor codes by Jennifer Dirmeyer and Alexander Cartwright who “...are skeptical that signing a piece of paper will suddenly cause a cheater to change their ways” (Source C). It can be later seen in Dirmeyer and Cartwright’s article that honor codes that are strictly enforced managed by students reduces cheating due to punishments and a social disapproval. Additionally, referring back to McCabe and Pavela’s article, “...the highest levels of cheating are usually found at colleges that have not engaged their students in active dialogue on the issue of academic dishonesty” (Source F). Evidently, maintaining an honor code within the school is proven to reduce…

    • 587 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Dbq Essay On Honor Code

    • 624 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Preventing the immoral actions while teaching the trust, the school had to maintain but fully explain about the honor codes. From the few schools, there was an already disputation towards the honor codes such as ‘students did not fully understand the role of an honor code; many saw it as another rule to obey“(Source B) which would lead to elimination of honor code, simultaneously loss of both students and school’s trust. Moreover, other problem would be students’ view towards the establishment in honor code that it might lead “skeptical” view which would lead them to be cheaters. On the other hand, this problem might be resolve due to the reality that the students had to face so that “signing a piece of paper will suddenly cause a cheater to…

    • 624 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Honor Code Dbq

    • 491 Words
    • 2 Pages

    On the other hand, Peer developed honor codes don't always work. Their success depends on a "culture of academic integrity" meaning that it depends on the student to take the code seriously (Source C). However, since it is based on expectations, students will decide to be more honest with themselves and others around them. As stated in Source F, " Many students would simply be embarrassed to have other students find out they were cheating". Based on the peer pressure and the standards made by the code, it is more compelling for students to be truthful about what they are doing.…

    • 491 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Honor Code Dbq

    • 443 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Here, he goes further to say that “the peer culture that develops on honor code campuses - a culture that makes most forms of serious cheating socially unacceptable among the majority of students. Many students would simply be embarrassed to have other students find out they were cheating.” (Source F). An honor code culture would make an overall successful school experience for any student; and not only would it be successful, it would be fair and safe. To develop an honor code status though, my school would need to have an effective honor code.…

    • 443 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Honor Code Dbq

    • 660 Words
    • 3 Pages

    For numerous academic institutions, honor codes are the foundations that strive to mitigate surreptitious, unfair actions. From cheating to plagiarizing, these sets of code execute a block of repercussions that insists on fostering integrity. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of honor systems is a highly controversial issue; proponents proclaim that these rules do cultivate truthfulness, while opponents highlight the ineffective, authoritarian consequences of these honor codes. Honor codes may appear consequential in preventing immoral actions, but these protocols constitute vastly more ramifications than benefits. Thus, my school should abolish its honor system.…

    • 660 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    My school is very strict when it comes to those rules concerning cheating. Student should be aware of the honor code established by the university. Cheating is not tolerated in any school and is totally unethical. If someone is caught cheating, he or she…

    • 151 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Honor Code Dbq

    • 700 Words
    • 3 Pages

    There are too many aspects of cheating for the honor code to address. This text shows how conscience will always win over trust and will always win over honesty. So even if teachers and students build trust, you can never trust conscience. Furthermore, “plagiarism is more common now”(Source D) which makes the problem even bigger. The reason there is more plagiarism from students is because there is more pressure.…

    • 700 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Nursing Honor Code System

    • 153 Words
    • 1 Pages

    Having an honor code system at a school can help administrate and better the academic community by ensuring everyone is upholding to noble behavior. Because others are required to report suspected violations, it discourages an individual from cheating, plagiarizing, or any other academic dishonesty. Every student should demonstrate their understanding by establishing optimal academic work, hence, making all academic work at the highest standard. The School of Nursing Honor Code encourages me to be the best that I can be by showing honorable behavior academically and in the community. All my responsibilities will be completed to the best of my ability whereas all my problems will be solved morally and ethically.…

    • 153 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Essay On Honor Code

    • 654 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The honor code is a list that we as Christians should live our life according to. The honor code for Oral Roberts University could be called the students commandments that they must carry out during their time here and hopefully the rest of their lives. The purpose of the honor code is to give us students a foundation to abide by. The honor code to me represents what an ideal Christian should do by making us pledge to try and grow every day spiritually.…

    • 654 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Why Are Honor Codes Wrong

    • 513 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Some argue that honor codes are unsuccessful, others argue that these codes are successful in minimizing the amount of cheating or plagiarizing. This difference can oftentimes be discovered in educational systems from elementary to college. Honor codes should be established because they decrease the act of dishonesty, they establish a more efficient and educational environment, and they are able to be established in any kind of school environment. Some people believe that honor codes wouldn't do anything to better school environment. Students at Harvard school in Dirmeyer and Cartwright's article on honor codes say they, “”.…

    • 513 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Honor Code Violations

    • 470 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In recent studies, it has been projected that around 70% of college students violate their university’s honor code. Some may find these statistics to be surprising and alarming, but I am not one of those people. I think that these statistics can eye opening to many people, those people who have lacked exposure to a very competitive environment, however as someone who was exposed and participated in that competitive environment, I have experienced violations of the honor code many times over. As a student who grew up in the Research Triangle area in North Carolina, I was exposed to some of the greatest high schools and colleges not only in the country, but in the world.…

    • 470 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Valor Honor Code Essay

    • 581 Words
    • 3 Pages

    For years students giving in to cheating has been a common problem all teachers face at some point in their careers. Some schools have strategies to reduce cheating, such as using casitas during exams, however this only acts as a temporary fix. These kinds of strategies only push students towards not to cheating, but does not teach them the importance of being honest. For this reason, Cypress Lakes High School should maintain its VALOR honor code system, to teach students valuable principles that they can carry on to their future.…

    • 581 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Most people argue and debate on whether our school should have the honor system. I would argue against this system because there are numerous amounts of things associated with the honor system, but i think not having it works better with students. As mentioned in source B, it says “Students were expected to report or confront a fellow student…. Failure to confront or report a student would result in a period of probation” With this honor system it’s saying that if the student doesn’t report the other student, he will receive a consequence.…

    • 304 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays