Reference Reviews

Doug’s Student Reference Room

Cheating, edited by Patty Jo Sawvel. 141 p. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2008. ISBN 13: 978-0-7377-3802-5. ISBN 10: 0-7377-3802-2. $33.70.

While cheating has forever been part of school cultures, the digital age has made cheating easier and more prevalent. The rise in plagiarism has brought the entire issue of cheating into focus for school communities across the United States. This volume explores the topic of cheating through paired, opposing essays around three general issues: how deeply embedded cheating is in our culture, the reasons people cheat and the best responses to cheating. The first chapter begins with a discussion of cheating among schoolteachers as the pressure to improve test scores increases. This is followed by essays arguing over the extent of cheating among taxpayers and businesses. The chapter exploring reasons for cheating is organzized principally by groups who might cheat, including athletes, students and corporations. An additional pair of essays explores the role technology might play in cheating. The final chapter about solutions explores two fundamental tacks. One approach is to take advantage of new technologies to prevent, deter, or catch cheaters; the other approach is to return to the honor code as a way of ensuring honest behaviors. The Introducing Issues with Opposing Viewpoints series targets both middle school and high school students; based on the Opposing Viewpoints model, this series features shorter essays, easier vocabulary, colorful graphics and prominent subheadings to aid comprehension. Each essay in a chapter begins with guided questions for reading and includes sidebar “fast facts.” Essays end with a one-paragraph “Evaluating the Author’s Arguments” section boxed prominantly in red and blue. The volume concludes with a “Facts aboutÉ” section, contact information for relevant organizations, an annotated bibliography of recommended books and periodical articles and an index. Highly recommended for middle school and high school libraries.
—Doug Achterman