The first question we always get asked when suggesting people upload their old tests, quizzes, and homework to cribME.com is:

"Isn't that cheating?"

No. It's not. Here are a few reasons why:

• We don't want any essays, research papers, or any other work that may be plagiarized.
• We only want tests, exams, quizzes, and homework that the teacher has already handed back after grading. Teachers at many schools don't hand back some tests if they're too lazy to create a new test every term. Obviously they don't want their tests to become "cribbed".
• Fraternities and Sororities at many universities have been doing this for years and no one minds.
• Many universities never address "cribs" or studying from old tests but may use wording to indicate that the students are not allowed an "unfair advantage." Since cribME.com is free and available to everyone we don't have that issue.

Check the ethics policy for your university. Here are a few that we've encountered

The Kettering University handbook (Kettering is the birthplace of Cribs) includes the following definition of Crib: Old notes or tests to study from. http://www.kettering.edu/student_affairs/docs/handbookupdate0708.pdf - check out page 45. As a top 10 ranked engineering school, it appears that not only are cribs legal, they appear to be encouraged.

The University of Texas at Arlington "Statement of Ethics" that every student must sign defines cheating as the following:

Cheating on an examination includes:

1. Copying from another's paper, any means of communication with another during an examination, giving aid to or receiving aid from another during an examination;

2. Using any material during an examination that is unauthorized by the proctor;

3. Taking or attempting to take an examination for another student or allowing another student to take or attempt to take an examination for oneself.

4. Using, obtaining, or attempting to obtain by any means the whole or any part of a not-yet-administered examination.

Penn State University puts this explanation in their Polices and Rules (Senate Policy 49-20):

"Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarizing, . . .
facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others, having unauthorized prior
possession of examinations, submitting work of another person or work previously
used without informing the instructors, or tampering with the academic work of
other students . . . ."

Again, the wording indicates that you are not allowed to have a test before it is given.

If you encounter any other ethics statements or academic policies that you think would be helpful to illustrate this point that Cribs are the best study tool, please email the information to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .'; document.write( '' ); document.write( addy_text21692 ); document.write( '<\/a>' ); //--> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it