A friend of mine told me that there exists software when AP tests are being graded that connects tests and compares the questions people got wrong and the answer they put in order to detect cheating. If a bunch of kids taking an AP test at the same time got similar questions wrong and put the same answer, would the legitimacy of their test be called into question?
I saw a thread on here from a few years ago where a kid was falsely accused of cheating and I just wanted to know if this software actually existed.
I know @skieurope is pretty good at quashing rumors, so maybe he can weigh in on this one, but I do think that software exists to flag suspicious MC answer sheets (at least I’ve seen this be the case for the SAT). However, there has to be a REALLY blatant anomaly for CB to flag an answer sheet, I would think. A lot of people probably miss many of the same questions; there would have to be some sort of obvious pattern (i.e. missing half the MC and missing the same exact questions.)
I have heard that they have something in place to detect trends of this nature. The “how” they do it, I have no idea. Keep in mind that some tests (e.g. APUSH) the identical questions are in a different order depending on the version. So if they see a trend of ABCCBDDAC on a bunch of papers from the same room, they will dig deeper.
For some tests, schools have to send in a paper saying where each student sat, so they also have this tool.
@silverdrop @skieurope Thank you. I was just curious. I don’t think I have anything to worry about, I was just discussing questions with my friends (I waited two days, per College Board policy) and noticed similar trends of our answers and the concept of getting MC flagged piqued my interest.
FYI, MCQ’s can never be discussed per CB; only FRQ has the 48 hour rule.