Table 1 Themes arising from free text responses to the first asking of ‘is this cheating’
From: Student cognitive enhancement with non-prescribed modafinil: is it cheating? A survey study
Theme | Keywords | Explanation | Example (phrase from participants) |
|---|---|---|---|
Attention | Focus, concentration, awake, alertness, tiredness | The use of the drug affects cognition, improving the attention and awareness of the individual to help them study | “If they have a higher level of concentration usually, they would receive the same grade” “The role of the drug is to improve concentration and reduce tiredness” |
Intelligence | Knowledge, study, performance, abilities | The use of the drug does not interact with the person’s ability and how smart they are | “The drug does not help the student in any way that is unnatural or give them any extra knowledge to pass the exam” “It couldn’t bring out any knowledge or ability which wasn’t already there” |
Legality | Rules, law, legal, illegal, regulations | The permission of students to take modafinil | “If it was cheating, there would be a rule against it” “The law states it is not illegal to buy modafinil without a prescription and so the student has acted lawfully until this point” |
Consuming stimulants | Coffee, tea, energy drinks, steroids | Stimulant compounds which can be used to improve alertness and performance | “They haven’t technically cheated as it could be argued that a student drinking energy drinks before the exam is cheating” “It could be compared to a strong dose of caffeine” |
Solution | Answers | Participants explained that by taking modafinil, it doesn’t mean that you have the answers to the exam’s questions, so it isn’t cheating | “They haven’t cheated by taking the drug as it does not make them have the answers to the exam questions” |
Well-being | Health, unhealthy, risks, dangerous, diseases, side effects | The use of modafinil might affect the health of the person taking it | “The student is engaging in unhealthy behaviour that could end up in drug abuse or addiction” |
Factors | Coercion, advantage, authenticity, equality | Factors we gave participants to help them decide if the use of modafinil is cheating | “It disadvantages other students who have not used the drug” “I don’t think that the student taking this particular drug has given them any significant advantages compared to other students” |