Who the fuck thought exams are OK?

    Honor code became a widespread activity in universities that try to ensure ethical conduct and academic integrity. Nevertheless, experts’ opinions varied regarding whether it is an efficient system or not. In their articles entitled “The Increasing Relevance of Honor Codes” and “Why colleges should ditch honor codes” by Kimberly Yavorski and Susan Greenberg, respectively, each of the authors presented his standpoint regarding honor codes. While Yavorski thought that they were relevant, Greenberg affirmed their impracticality. Even though the purpose of the “code of academic ethics” is to enforce academic integrity, it pressures students in a way that glorifies the value of “A” more than the process of learning. Experts looked for the most effective way to secure academic integrity. In my perspective, universities in general shall direct their interest from how to enforce academic integrity to how to make students favor learning over grades.

    The honor code is an old generation tradition that may have been effective in the past, but it is not currently efficient. Yavorski cited Gary Pavela emphasizing the value of honor codes socially. “’You have a collaboration, sometimes daily, between student leaders and faculty about what academic honesty entails, how to prevent it, how to resolve it’”, he says. Despite looking advantageous in theory, the honor code overloads students mentally. Having to inform the instructor of cheating cases raises hatred among students. According to a Princeton University survey cited by Greenberg, only four out of the 85 students who had witnessed cheating reported it. These statistics show the psychological pressure on students due to honor codes. The primary purpose of universities is to learn. Being pushed by the value of grades over learning diminishes such a purpose. In the modern world, information is easily accessible. Students shall realize that a vital skill to learn in college is how to collaborate. The term “cheating” is outdated. If using the available information and collaborating with colleagues are considered cheating, then the whole system is flawed. Greenberg cited a study conducted by researchers at Midwestern State University cited saying “failing a class or facing a disciplinary hearing are far more effective deterrents to cheating than abstract threats to honor, such as fear of being ostracized by one’s peers”. That study demonstrates how honor codes can be more stressful than beneficial to students. In short, the honor code suited education in the past when the purpose of learning was to know how to find information. However, accessing information became an easy step in the modern world, and the old honor codes are no longer sufficient to verify achieving learning outcomes.

    While experts like Yavorski and Greenberg argued the best methods to uphold academic ethics, I think the most effective way is to change what we consider right and wrong in this manner. Students can be depressed by their grades regardless of how hard they worked during the semester. This is because the typical exam not only measures whether the learning outcomes are achieved but also measures students' test-taking and memorizing skills. After college, most students who will not pursue academia will not likely encounter such tests in real-life situations. Yavorski said, "Recent admissions cheating scandals highlight a potential crisis in academia … we need to restore 'honor' and ethical behavior to our campuses". He put the burden of the "academia crisis" on the students who are cheating. However, if a large section of students pursues this act, the issue is more likely to be in the system itself. The most efficient way to prevent cheating is to implement assignments that simulate real-life situations. Besides, changing how students value grades is a must. When grades become the gate for more jobs and opportunities, students will ignore the learning and focus on mastering techniques to get higher grades. In my opinion, students who use standard grade-getting techniques as solving the professor's previous exams are not different from students who pursue 'cheating'. Both wanted to achieve the "A" ignoring the most vital learning purpose; to learn. Because of universities' overestimation of the value of grades, education transformed from a tool to learn to a temporary step that students want only to pass with good grades. Thus, a large number of students pursue cheating. The most practical way to enforce academic integrity is to reconstruct its criteria to suit the modern world.

    Overall, universities shall get rid of the honor code and work on reforming the testing methods. “By forsaking the honor code, colleges might actually succeed in restoring a measure of integrity”, Greenberg said, emphasizing the impracticality of honor codes. Instituting an honor code is not an effective way to ensure ethical conduct or academic integrity. On the other hand, students only cheat to adapt to exams. Thus, if universities changed tests in a way that deprioritizes grades’ value and prioritizes learning, cheating will cease to exist.

 P.S This shit was a fucking assignment I've just done that wanted me to show how good are honor codes, but they suck so have fun monopolies' bitches.