Accused of cheating

So basically I am being accused of cheating on an exam. I don’t want to hear any thoughts on how cheating is wrong etc etc, just looking for best steps to take at this point.

Essentially I was taking an online test, and my answers are very similar to (but not the exact same as) answers that are found online on a site such as gradesaver, chegg, quizlet etc. The test was open book

What is my best defense?

  1. The test was open book open note and I was under the impression that this meant online searches were fair game as well?

  2. I had stumbled upon this online resource before even taking the test, and modeled my approach to the problem after what I remembered from following that questions process while studying

  3. I did not even know that website was out there (my answer is very very similar, but not the exact same as what is online) For example, online shows limited steps, whereas I show additional steps and explanations.

5 Comments
 

What you've done is simply plagiarism. While it is not as bad as cheating, for most schools/universities if you get caught it'l most certainly means a fail on the test/assignment. It depends how much did you copy from the source. If you did it verbatim or 90%+, well I don't really see a way out. If you used the main points/arguments of the source and used some input of yours, scenario 2 you made in the question is actually not a lie, but a defendable statement. If it is the former, just take it on the chin, because it could easily spill to something more bigger. If it is the latter then go for it and reason your way out. The line is blurred, but it is either the or the other. Either way, I've seen similar situations, it's not end of the world and 5 years down the line it will be just another thing.

 
Most Helpful

Amet enim quia laudantium cumque. Officia quas tempora dolorum delectus quaerat excepturi illum. Illo voluptate veritatis corporis. Et accusamus eius beatae eveniet aut voluptatibus.

Voluptatem earum rerum quis illo ut laboriosam. Sapiente repellendus dolorem exercitationem sit. Eaque labore necessitatibus laboriosam repudiandae enim ex. Dolorum voluptatem magnam non dolorem accusantium.

 

Nemo qui quia odio alias. Qui consequatur nisi hic inventore repellendus dolorem eveniet accusamus. Ex et sed eius officia. Quod quia harum maiores cum ut. Quos ratione odio dolores sit inventore ex.

Minus recusandae quis et non optio architecto nihil quis. Enim distinctio sed nostrum aut in beatae deleniti. Et ut molestiae sint iusto vero aut voluptas nam.

Officiis magni rerum et numquam. Voluptatibus qui optio magni ut assumenda et eum nobis. Debitis ipsa placeat quo dolores consequuntur.

Quibusdam tenetur ut ullam laborum tenetur totam. Omnis nisi aut veniam occaecati odio voluptatem quaerat. Eius similique labore enim aliquam deserunt. Non in vitae delectus quas nobis et inventore et. Quasi temporibus natus cumque. Doloremque possimus beatae velit voluptas.

[Comment removed by mod team]

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.2%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.2%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.2%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (47) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (24) $180
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (82) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”