By Sierra Bein
Ryerson University engineering students were shocked to find the answer key included in their final exam taken last week for the multiple choice portion of their test.
This version of the exam was taken by 162 students in one section of the class.
The answer sheet covered 1-20 of the 50 Scantron questions but, disregarding whether students chose to use it, the class will not be charged with academic misconduct.
Drs McWilliams, Heyd and Foucher, professors at Ryerson, wrote an email to students explaining what had happened, and the measures are taking to minimize cheating.
According to the email, the temptation to use an answer key that is supplied with a test is too great, and to charge the students with academic misconduct would be unfair.
“Those who were worried about that can put their minds at ease,” said Drs McWilliams, Foucher and Heyd.
About 1,000 students were writing the chemistry exam, and the professors did not realize the error until one honest student came forward to tell them about the key.
The professors said that they removed the key quickly, and ran an analysis before deciding what to do.
The email reads: “Unfortunately, our analysis indicated that several students benefited from the answer sheet.”
“Because of that, we have had to find a way to resolve the issue that is as fair as possible, under the circumstances, to everyone in the course, and maintains academic integrity.”
To resolve the problem, only the last 30 questions of the Scantron, for students who wrote that version of the exam, will be counted towards the final mark of the test.
As an alternative, a new final exam has been scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 9, 2014.
Students can rewrite the exam if they wish and it will be calculated towards their total mark, instead of the exam that included the answer key.
There is still no word as to how the answer sheet was included in the exam.
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