You are a final-year undergraduate student pursuing a professional degree, and as part of the required curriculum for your final semester, you enrolled in a notoriously challenging course. Unfortunately, your performance on the mid-semester exam was disappointing, leaving you in a position where you must score exceptionally well on the final exam in order to pass. Failing this course would delay your graduation by an additional semester and threaten the job offer you received from a multinational company, which is contingent on the successful completion of your degree. This job is critical not only for your career but also for your family’s financial stability, especially given the significant sacrifices your father has made to fund your education amid tough circumstances at home.

In light of this, your close friend confides in you that he can help you pass the course. He explains that the course lecturer mistakenly uploaded a file containing the answers to the final exam to the university portal. Although the lecturer quickly corrected the error and removed the file, your friend managed to download it before it was taken down. When you expressed concern about the possibility of being caught, your friend reassured you that the university’s digital system does not allow the lecturer to track who has downloaded the file. However, you are aware that the university’s ethical guidelines strictly forbid students from sitting for exams if they have access to unauthorized information about the answers, and violations can result in severe penalties. (200 words)

(a) Considering that accessing the answers and performing well on the final exam would not harm any other student enrolled in the course, what is the reason for you to refrain from using the answers?

Roadmap for Answer Writing

1. Introduction to the Ethical Dilemma

• Briefly introduce the ethical dilemma at hand: the temptation to use unauthorized answers to succeed in the exam.
• Acknowledge the assumption that no harm will be caused to other students, but emphasize that this does not negate the broader ethical issues involved.

Fact to mention:

• Ethical dilemmas often require balancing personal desires with broader moral principles. The decision is not just about outcomes, but about the means used to achieve them (Source: “Ethics in Decision Making,” 2021).

2. Integrity and Moral Values

• Main Idea: Discuss the importance of integrity in personal and academic life.
  • Using unauthorized answers is dishonest and violates the core principle of academic integrity.
  • Integrity is doing what is right even when no one is watching.

Fact to mention:

• Universities often have strict codes of conduct to ensure fairness and integrity. For example, many institutions explicitly state that cheating, including accessing unauthorized materials, is a violation of their academic integrity policies.

3. Long-Term Consequences

• Main Idea: Highlight the potential long-term repercussions of cheating, even if immediate harm seems absent.
  • Short-term success gained through dishonesty can lead to long-term penalties, like academic expulsion or damage to professional reputation.
  • Being caught in unethical behavior can tarnish one’s academic and professional reputation permanently.

Fact to mention:

• In 2012, cyclist Lance Armstrong’s career was destroyed after his admission of doping, demonstrating the far-reaching consequences of unethical behavior.

4. Respect for the Education System

• Main Idea: Emphasize the value of respecting the education system and its purpose.
  • Education is meant to assess genuine understanding and intellectual growth, not just the ability to pass exams.
  • Using unauthorized answers undermines the purpose of the exam and the educational experience itself.

Fact to mention:

• Academic institutions worldwide stress that exams are designed to assess not just rote learning, but deeper understanding, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

5. Personal Self-Respect and Psychological Impact

• Main Idea: Discuss the impact of cheating on self-respect and personal satisfaction.
  • Achieving success through unethical means diminishes personal pride and can lead to long-lasting psychological effects, such as guilt and anxiety.
  • Self-worth is enhanced when accomplishments are the result of genuine effort.

Fact to mention:

• Studies show that students who cheat experience higher levels of anxiety and lower levels of self-esteem, even if they are not caught.

6. Setting a Precedent for Future Behavior

• Main Idea: Discuss how cheating in this instance might set a dangerous precedent for future behavior.
  • Unethical behavior in academic settings can spill over into professional and personal decisions, where integrity is critical.
  • By refraining from cheating, one reinforces ethical standards that can guide future choices.

Fact to mention:

• Research shows that students who engage in academic dishonesty are more likely to display unethical behavior in their professional lives.

7. Conclusion: Upholding Ethical Principles

• Restate that refraining from using unauthorized answers is not just about adhering to rules but about maintaining ethical principles that govern academic and professional conduct.
• Conclude by reiterating the importance of integrity, respect for the education system, and the long-term benefits of ethical decision-making.

Relevant Facts for Answer Writing:

1. Academic Integrity:
   • “Integrity in education is essential for personal and academic development. Cheating undermines this integrity, which is fundamental to a fair and just academic system.”
2. Consequences of Cheating:
   • “Engaging in dishonest practices can have severe consequences, including expulsion, legal ramifications, and a permanent record of dishonesty.”
3. Reputation and Professional Life:
   • “Lance Armstrong’s admission of doping and subsequent removal of his titles demonstrates the far-reaching damage that unethical behavior can cause to one’s career.”
4. Psychological Impact:
   • “Students who cheat report higher levels of anxiety and lower self-esteem, regardless of whether or not they are caught.”
5. Educational System Respect:
   • “The purpose of exams is to assess a student’s genuine understanding, not just the ability to memorize answers. Cheating disrupts this process.”