According to the Wall Street Journal, researchers Nina Mazar and her associates studied cheating. These researchers gave the same tests to three groups of students.
The first group was paid $.50 for each right answer. The second group took the same test, but graded their tests themselves. The final group signed an honor code prior to the test, but they also graded the test themselves.
The first group solved 3.4 problems on average, the second group claimed to solve 6.1 problems, but the final group only solved 3.1 problems. It appears the honor code significantly limited cheating.
Ecclesiastes 5:5 says, “It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it.”
To build a more ethical culture, a signed code of ethics may be helpful.
