Case Analysis: Case 15 “To ‘D’ or not to ‘D’”

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Recent surveys conducted on college students indicated that upwards of 76% of undergraduate students admit to having cheated on a quiz, exam, or paper. These shocking statistics, indicative of what some are calling an epidemic, show that cheating is a problem that deserves national attention and authoritative intervention. Students who cheat not only sacrifice their own integrity and conscience, but also obstruct themselves from obtaining an actual education. In order to combat this increasing trend, some schools are contemplating new, harsher punishments for cheating. In Case 15 “To ‘D’ or not to ‘D,’” educators suggested that the transcripts of students caught cheating should be branded with the letter D, indicating to employers and graduate school admissions officers that the student participated in academic dishonesty. Opposing parties argue that sometimes students make mistakes and that the student’s future should not be determined by a one-time offense. Regardless, academic institutions failing to recognize cheating as a serious problem face many potential consequences, such as tarnishing the school’s reputation and attracting students who are more likely to attempt academic dishonesty.

There are two essential questions that must be addressed in regard to the case:

1. Is it morally permissible to brand students for a single offense? Should one offense have the power to affect the rest of your life?

2. Will instilling a harsher punishment for academic dishonesty reduce cheating and therefore encourage students to better learn the material?

Before assessing these essential questions, the moral principles used to evaluate them must be established. The moral system used in considering the case is a conseque...

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...of an academic institution is to teach students; if students are cheating to get the best grades, not only are they artificially passing, they’re also harming themselves and society by not properly learning the material. The only way to combat this issue is to provide a harsh punishment for the crime. If the consequence of branding is applied, students will become more prudent in their cheating habits (therefore learning the material more effectively), and cheaters will be recognized as cheaters, thus providing consequence for the cheaters’ intellectual theft and benefiting those who earn their grades through hard work.

Works Cited

"The Shocking Statistics On Cheating From Kindergarten Through College | News One."

Breaking News for Black America | News One. Web. 11 Nov. 2011.

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