Altering test answers

code | scenario | smart strategies | consequences

Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters

1. It shall be an offence for a student knowingly:

(a) To forge or in any other way alter or falsify any document or evidence required by the University, or to utter, circulate or make use of any such forged, altered or falsified document, whether the record be in print or electronic form;

Wherever in the Code an offence is described as depending on “knowing”, the offence shall likewise be deemed to have been committed if the person ought reasonably to have known.

Scenario – Altering test answers

Your Math instructor has handed you back your test and you have are upset to see that you haven’t done well, even though you studied hard! You begin to panic because you need a higher grade in order to pass the course. So you decide to erase some of your answers to the multiple choice questions, and circle what you now know to be the correct answer. You then approach your instructor and tell them that there seems to have been an error when your test was graded, and request that it be re-marked.

The Issue

You cannot alter any of your answers on a test after it has been submitted for grading and returned to you. By knowingly altering or falsifying the answers on your test and re-submitting it, you are committing a serious academic offence, which will lead to penalties imposed under The Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters.

Smart Strategies

• Writing Tests or Exams
• Talk to your professor/instructor or your department’s undergraduate advisor if you are struggling with your academic work.
• Student Health Services and/or other organizations in your community are there to help when you’re feeling anxious/overwhelmed with your studies.

Range of Consequences

For a discussion of consequences see Key Consequences.