Stop Cheating Yourself | Teen Ink

Stop Cheating Yourself MAG

By Anonymous

     A student does not know any of the answers on a test. As he stares at the blank answer page, all the problems look blurry, and when the results come back, the student realizes that he failed. This is the situation for those who copy homework from others. They are not only cheating, they are not learning anything and will not be prepared for tests or quizzes. By using the work of others, they can ruin their grade as well as their future. It is not right to cheat when we all have the capability to do our own work. People should not receive rewards for the effort of others.

Most people have cheated at least once in their lives, whether it was for missed or incomplete work, or even just for credit that you didn’t deserve. But this is not right; in fact, it is unethical and unfair. Taking the work of others and using it as your own is not the right thing to do. It shows a lack of responsibility as well as a lack of knowledge. For example, if a student cheats using a classmate’s exam paper, he is taking credit for another’s work. If the tea-cher catches him, the consequences are usually failure.

Cheating by using the work of others is the same as ruining your life with drugs. It is not only unnecessary and foolish, it can also start to be addicting in many ways. If a student constantly cheats, then it may become a habit in the future. Besides, no one needs to cheat. We all have brains that we can use and also teachers, parents, and peers to help us. Anyway, it’s not like we will succeed in life if we continuously cheat. There is no need to ruin both your education and your life by cheating.

Cheaters usually suffer many consequences. In the beginning when the student is in grade school, cheating may only lead to losing credit and going to the principal’s office. In middle school, there will be Saturday detentions, suspensions, and even parent-teacher conferences. But in high school, college, and the rest of a person’s life, cheating will not be tolerated. If a college student uses a quote from a book or website and doesn’t cite where the information came from, that is plagiarism. This form of credit-taking does not just have minor consequences but can also land you in jail, ruin your record for certain jobs, tear apart your relationships with family and friends, and jeopardize your future.

Every day as you pass through a teen-infested hallway, there will be at least one person madly scribbling away on a piece of paper trying to match it with the one from their peers. This all can occur right before the bell signals the start of a new school day. Why do they have to do this? Will those extra 10 points have a huge impact on their grade and also remind them to do their homework in the future? The clear answer is no! Why can’t they just tell their teachers the truth? By copying, the cheater learns nothing and the teacher will never know if they copied their homework or if they did it themselves.

Of all things, taking credit for others’ work is not only unnecessary but quite unreasonable as well. If we all just do our work, then there is no need to cheat. We should make an effort for our education instead of taking the easy way out. But most important, if we all work hard instead of cheating, then everyone will live a prosperous and successful life.



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This article has 81 comments.


mplo said...
on Apr. 29 2018 at 9:32 am
When I was a student in school, even in high school, I never cheated in that way, by copying somebody else's homework assignment or exam or whatever. I got lousy grades (namely C's, with a D or two here and there along the way), but that's the way it goes, sometimes.

on Sep. 6 2017 at 5:52 pm
Tinyperson BRONZE, Farmington, Connecticut
1 article 0 photos 9 comments

Favorite Quote:
"There is nothing impossible to him(her) who will try." - Alexander the Great

I agree! I never let anyone copy my homework and have never in my entire life done someone else's homework or let any of my friends help others cheat. I support people explaining concepts to others and helping their peers understand concepts, but simply copying is unacceptable. Three years ago, my friend was debating whether or not to let someone in her group copy her science lab because he seemed really desperate and on the verge of tears. I reasoned with them, you should have done the work when you were supposed to. He responded, I did do the work, but what if it's not good enough? I need a good grade! I told him if he did the work he shouldn't have anything to worry about. The next day, he turned in his own work. When the teacher handed back the labs, he got a perfect score. Cheating is never the right thing to do. All you need is confidence in your own abilities, and you can do far better without cheating.

on Mar. 5 2016 at 7:00 am
WriterExpert7 GOLD, Lahore, Other
19 articles 0 photos 7 comments

Favorite Quote:
"What I am looking for is not out there, it's in me." ~ Hellen Keller

True! Examinations are a routine to ultimately assess a person's purpose in life. However, through cheating, it doesn't fulfil the real motto of exams.

on Jul. 29 2015 at 4:05 pm
Ianultraman BRONZE, Basking Ridge, New Jersey
3 articles 0 photos 17 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive" - Elbert Hubbard

Great but you might want to have more support with evidence (like statistics)? It might make your argument more compelling.

on May. 28 2013 at 8:47 pm
theatregirl PLATINUM, Lathrup Village, Michigan
30 articles 12 photos 209 comments

Favorite Quote:
"To thine own self be true," -from Hamlet, a play by Shakespeare.
"I have sworn on the altar of god eternal hostility against all forms of tyranny over the mind of man." - Thomas Jefferson

Dude, THIS IS IN THE FREAKING OPINION SECTION!! OF COURSE IT WILL BE BIAS!! If u want to see both side of story, then don't look at the opinion section. And honestly, I going to be bias and say they are right. There is absolutely no excuse for academic cheating, it just create a cycle of cheating. Not everyone will get caught and punish and loose their scholarship to Harvard or whatever but eventually, your going get a slap on face when actually have do something on your own.Why set yourself up to have work harder in the future?

on May. 28 2013 at 8:43 pm
theatregirl PLATINUM, Lathrup Village, Michigan
30 articles 12 photos 209 comments

Favorite Quote:
"To thine own self be true," -from Hamlet, a play by Shakespeare.
"I have sworn on the altar of god eternal hostility against all forms of tyranny over the mind of man." - Thomas Jefferson

This very good start, but the formatting is weird. U dont follow a clear format and the paper doesn't seem to have structure. The difference between a persuasive essay and a rant is simply formatting. For example if were u, I format it like this 1.introduction -example of kid copy of peers, cheating test 2. Paragraph 1 :the facts -talking about how everyone cheats 3. The opinion -how u believe cheating is wrong 4 the evidence -what the consequence of cheating are. This is generally a good format for making persuasive essay and opinion pieces. Overall, good. Keep writing :)

life? said...
on May. 6 2013 at 10:19 am
Whoever wrote this doesnt understand that people dislike being lectured like a child on cheating honestly you got to do what you got to do and everyone has there own oppinion therefore this is a very biased passage based on if it is right to do acoording to someones heart.

dziabula said...
on Oct. 22 2012 at 12:47 pm
this is really inspireing

dziabula1234 said...
on Oct. 22 2012 at 12:43 pm
this is really inspireing

on Oct. 22 2012 at 8:19 am
yes, cheating is wrong to do ,but if you do cheat then you probably didn't get caught yet... so just think of how many people that have to work so hard to keep their grade up ,andf that their parent will not have to fuss at them.

on Aug. 18 2012 at 6:31 pm
imalwayswrite53 GOLD, Saltlake City, Utah
13 articles 1 photo 23 comments

Favorite Quote:
I know you believe you understand what you think I said, but what you don't realize is that what I said is not what I meant......

Thank you Harold for writting this, I had a bad expirience with cheating, it was freshman year and I was so excited for english class (duh!) but when i got there every single kid in the class hated reading and writting, there were about 5 kids in the class who did all the work and everyone else copied the answers, I honestly hope we can come together and change this. make sure to vary your word choice and remeber just because it's long does not mean it's good, keep up the great work :)

Tyger BRONZE said...
on Apr. 7 2012 at 10:10 am
Tyger BRONZE, Saint Michael, Minnesota
2 articles 0 photos 2 comments

Cheating, Schmeating... Rule #1: no cheating.  Rule #2: No helping cheaters.  Rule #3: There are consequences for breaking rule #2+3.

Ethics (eHow): Ethics, also called moral responsibility, is a set of principles that governs an individual or group. Ethics provides a framework for making decisions.

So... personal ethics are what we define as good and bad on a personal level, and social ethics are what society defines as good and bad. Breaking the rules written by society are socially wrong.  Personal ethics means that you have your own set of rules that are aside from social ethics'. Breaking the social rules may not be personally wrong, depending on each person.

But get this.  Rule #3 states there is a punishment.  So why does somebody get punished for doing what they deem as right, for that occasion, or otherwise?  

Because we are part of society.  By being part of it, we are forced to acknowledge consequences for personal behavior IN society.  So if you cheat, murder, do drugs, and it written in the society's rules, you should expect punishment.  

IF you don't agree with the rules and punishments of the current society you live in... well, you can always check out; go where your personal ethics match society's the best.  I heard that the bosses in Africa don't care if you copy and paste your entire job report.


Tyger BRONZE said...
on Apr. 7 2012 at 9:51 am
Tyger BRONZE, Saint Michael, Minnesota
2 articles 0 photos 2 comments
Splintered,  I think it would be good to remind you that Chow did make her own decision too.  She chose that she would tell the teachers about that person.  That's not for us to tell her that what she did is right or wrong, sure, you don't like that when it happens to you, and nor do I.  But get this: Accept the consequences of your actions BEFORE you do it, if possible; realize what you are doing and THEN make your choice.  It shouldn't be a surprise to see the consequence being dealt.  Unfortunately, it is to a lot of people. 

I cringe everytime somebody complains about somebody being a "narc" or "tattletale" or whatever name is termed there.  It's kind of like being labeled "screw up," or something, for following your concience.  

Having a friends' back is not really about helping them to do everything they do, just because they are a friend.  I believe a true friend will do what they think is right. Even if it hurts me in the short run.  

If you are my friend, you skip class and a teacher directly asks me where they are, don't expect me to lie for you; you just better hope I really don't know.  I don't ever want to lie, and I sincerely hope a friend wouldn't expect me to. 

And about others actions not harming me and what is or is not my business.  I have this thing about conciences.  If I see somebody doing what is against the rules, it actually DOES harm me not to "rat" them out...  That makes it my business.  Expecially if you are my friend.

Hope this post showed you another view on your statements ;)

suman said...
on Mar. 11 2012 at 12:40 pm
you are tottaly write.I appriciate u because of what u say.

wefsvg45 said...
on Dec. 26 2011 at 7:20 am
forex Totally, the actual write-up is really the very best in that will worthwhile matter. I really fit in jointly with your results and certainly am going to keenly seem to be toward your own upcoming

Peace<3:)* said...
on Dec. 23 2011 at 5:33 pm
This is great news but it doesn't help me on my essay, i have to do 1 on cheating, why do people cheat? just to make me right this stupid essay?!!!???!!

on Nov. 27 2011 at 10:28 am
readlovewrite SILVER, Greensboro, North Carolina
7 articles 1 photo 58 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Be quick to listen, and slow to speak, and even slower to judge."

I agree with everything you say, butt an additional thing about cheating, is that if you do get away with cheating, you may become a business man, or a doctor, or a veterinarian, you will not know how to do your job, and will then fail and your life will be messed up forever.

Naomi518 GOLD said...
on Oct. 14 2011 at 11:27 pm
Naomi518 GOLD, Windsor, Connecticut
11 articles 15 photos 59 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light" ~Albus Dumbledore

I agree with you except that teachers give waaaay too much work.  If the teachers gave a reasonable ammount of work, there would be a lot less pressure to cheat.

on Jul. 18 2011 at 6:24 pm
LifeWrite PLATINUM, Westfield, New Jersey
44 articles 14 photos 53 comments
I agree with you, but just because you don't cheat doesn't mean you will necessarily live a prosperous and successful life--it's about the many sides there are to you as a person. I wrote an article very similar to this one called "Lost Education?" I'd really appreciate it if you could take a look at it and give me some feedback.

hallie523 said...
on Jul. 8 2011 at 8:11 pm
hallie523, Seattle, Washington
0 articles 0 photos 16 comments
If there is a class that really doesn't interest you and you truly believe does not benefit you, it is okay not to care about it. But in that case you should be truthful and not pretend that you are working hard in that class when you are really taking credit you don't deserve. If you care about a high GPA or straight A's, you should work for it.