Quizlet- a study aid website has gained a lot of popularity over the last few years. In fact, this is one of the most commonly used websites by college students across the US.
However, questions have been raised by experts in the education field, and the frequently asked question is: is using Quizlet cheating?
Let’s face it, college life is not easy. First, students have to adjust to campus life and being away from home. Then they have to take several classes, sometimes up to 6 classes at a time.
With this comes a lot of coursework, homework, research papers, term papers, essays, and discussion posts and replies for those taking online classes.
These will take a lot of time and often students are tempted to take shortcuts.
This may include using study aid websites like Quizlet, Chegg, course hero among others. Homework help websites are also very popular among students who are overwhelmed with work.
These websites offer quick solutions to students without much effort.
So, is using Quizlet cheating?
Using Quizlet as a study guide is not cheating. However, using Quizlet when taking an exam or an online test is cheating.
If you are using Quizlet to help you study or prepare for an exam, then this is not cheating. You will not get into any trouble for this, as you are not breaching any academic integrity policies.
The same might not be true if you are using Quizlet to look for answers during an exam.
This amounts to cheating and will most definitely get you in trouble with your institution if they find out you used the website to find answers.
Using any form of help during an exam or test is against the policies of most institutions of higher education.
If found, you can get suspended and in extreme cases get expelled for engaging in an act of academic dishonesty.
Is using Quizlet to do your homework considered cheating?
Using Quizlet to complete your homework is cheating. Homework is supposed to build your problem-solving skills. However, if you copy your homework from Quizlet chances are you might be flagged for plagiarism and for not properly citing and copying online.
In case you are pressed for time, you are better off using a homework help website that will ensure work on your homework from scratch while citing all sources used to ensure you are not caught by your instructor.
Also see: Is using Chegg cheating? Will my instructor know I used Chegg?
How to use Quizlet effectively to study
First a brief history:
Quizlet was designed by a high school sophomore student who was struggling with studying. He eventually shared it with his friends to help them study.
Using these flashcards they were able to study better and ultimately score better and improve their grades.
As such, this web application was made exclusively to help students with studying.
Here are a few tips to help you study effectively with Quizlet:
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Use the search feature
The best place to start if you are looking for material to study is to use the search feature. The search feature will help you find material related to your topic and course.
If you are lucky you will even find the specific course being offered in your school.
They can be material uploaded by teachers or students from previous years taking the same course. The search feature will be the perfect place to start especially if you are studying for an exam.
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Create your own flashcards
While pre-made cards are a good place to start especially when pressed for time, it is always better to create your own flashcards.
Using your own words, pictures, diagrams, etc, will enable you to understand better and actively recall what you learn.
When creating your own flashcards, be sure to include pictures as this will make the material more memorable. Generally, humans are wired to remember pictures much better than words.
Have a mixture of both (words and images) for the best results.
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Create a quiz
Quizlet has a learning mode feature that allows you to test yourself based on your flashcards. This will help you gauge how well you understand the material.
Depending on what course you are taking, you can choose to write up your response or even spell for those learning new languages.
You can then go back to the questions you did not get right and focus on them.
This will help you understand the areas that you need to study more and areas that you are already good in. Eventually, this will help you save a lot of time by focusing on your weak areas.
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Play Games
One of the most exciting features of Quizlet is the ability to study while having a little bit of fun. Quizlet has integrated games to help students study better.
Match: is one of the games whereby you have to race against time to match terms to their correct definitions. This can be done by dragging a term to its correct definition.
Gravity: for this game, you have to help save the world by stopping asteroids from hitting the surface of the earth. You have to type in the correct answer to move to the next one.
As you progress the game gets harder as the asteroids start falling faster allowing you less time to figure out the correct answer.
The above tips will help you study better through active recall. Active recall is one of the ways through which the brain can be able to absorb content most effectively.
Why students love Quizlet
- Quizlet is free- most of the features can be accessed for free. However, for you to access premium features and study ad-free, you have to subscribe.
- Help students prepare for tests: Quizlet allows students to study and test themselves as they prepare for the real exam
- Available on PC, android and iOS: Quizlet gives students more flexibility when studying. Students can be able to study using their laptops, tablets, or even mobile phones.
- Teachers can share revision and study materials with their students.
- Quizlet has a readout feature which is helpful for students learning foreign languages
- Saves time: self-testing allows students to identify areas in which they are poor and put more emphasis on them.
- Boosts long term memory
- Students can be able to print material directly from the website
- Students can be able to export or import material to Quizlet
Is using Quizlet to study cheating?
Using Quizlet to study is not cheating. Quizlet will help you understand course material better by creating flashcards and testing yourself.
Using Quizlet to study is accepted and teachers even use the application to create notes for their students.
These notes help students revise better and understand course material by active recalling.
This makes Quizlet one of the best study aid websites.
Is Quizlet good for studying
Quizlet is good for studying. Quizlet makes studying fun and memorable by allowing students to create flashcards and even play games to help them memorize and understand better.
Is Quizlet bad?
Like with any other studying aid website, Quizlet has is it own shortfalls which by no means makes the application bad.
The free version has many ads which can distract students when studying. Also, the material is user-generated and some may have falsified information. Lastly, some students have used the application to cheat in exams and tests.
Should students use Quizlet?
Students should make use of this free web application to help them study. Quizlet uses very innovative ways to help students actively recall course material while also having some fun.
The designers have incorporated self-testing and games which makes Quizlet the perfect study tool.
However, students should avoid using Quizlet during exams as this is against the academic integrity policies of most universities and colleges.
If caught, students risk facing expulsion or suspension when the disciplinary committee is lenient.
Case: in the year 2018 the Texas Christian University suspended students for using Quizlet in their final exams.
Bottom line
We answer one of the most frequently asked questions by students: is using Quizlet cheating?
We find out that indeed using Quizlet for studying is not cheating. However, using Quizlet for other purposes including during tests and exams is cheating.