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Monitoring and Sanctioning Cheating at School: What Works? Evidence from a National Evaluation Program

Author

Listed:
  • Claudio Lucifora
  • Marco Tonello

Abstract

We exploit a randomized experiment in Italian schools to assess the causal effect of both an external monitoring program and a sanctions program on cheating behavior and absence rates. We find, in line with previous studies, that external monitoring is effective in deterring cheating occurring during and after the test. We show evidence of a strategic response to monitoring in terms of higher absence rates. Sanctions are not effective in reducing cheating, while they might have a discipline effect in decreasing absence rates. Both programs work better in institutional settings that make the potential loss of reputation costlier to the school.

Suggested Citation

  • Claudio Lucifora & Marco Tonello, 2020. "Monitoring and Sanctioning Cheating at School: What Works? Evidence from a National Evaluation Program," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 14(4), pages 584-616.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jhucap:doi:10.1086/711760
    DOI: 10.1086/711760
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    Cited by:

    1. Francois-Xavier Ladant & Julien Hedou & Paolo Sestito & Falco J. Bargagli-Stoffi, 2023. "What is essential is visible to the eye: Saliency in primary school ranking and its effect on academic achievements," Papers 2302.10026, arXiv.org, revised Jan 2024.
    2. Marina Cavalieri & Massimo Finocchiaro Castro & Calogero Guccio, 2020. "Does the Fish Rot from the Head? Organised Crime and Educational Outcomes in Southern Italy," Working papers 97, Società Italiana di Economia Pubblica.
    3. Basiglio, Stefania & Foresta, Alessandra & Turati, Gilberto, 2024. "Impatience and crime. Evidence from the NLSY97," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    4. Andrea Boitani & Catalin Dragomirescu-Gaina & Andrea Monticini, 2025. "Managing the chaos: policy challenges in a hyperinflationary environment," DISCE - Working Papers del Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza def142, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimenti e Istituti di Scienze Economiche (DISCE).
    5. Sergio Longobardi & Patrizia Falzetti & Margherita Maria Pagliuca, 2018. "Quis custiodet ipsos custodes? How to detect and correct teacher cheating in Italian student data," Statistical Methods & Applications, Springer;Società Italiana di Statistica, vol. 27(3), pages 515-543, August.
    6. Bertoni, Marco & Brunello, Giorgio & De Benedetto, Marco Alberto & De Paola, Maria, 2019. "External Monitors and Score Manipulation in Italian Schools: Symptomatic Treatment or Cure?," IZA Discussion Papers 12591, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Berkhout, Emilie & Pradhan, Menno & Rahmawati, & Suryadarma, Daniel & Swarnata, Arya, 2024. "Using technology to prevent fraud in high stakes national school examinations: Evidence from Indonesia," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
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    12. Pieroni, Luca & Roig, Melcior Rosselló & Salmasi, Luca, 2023. "Italy: Immigration and the evolution of populism," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    13. Sebastiano Della Lena & Fabrizio Panebianco, 2019. "Cultural Transmission with Incomplete Information: Parental Perceived Efficacy and Group Misrepresentation," DISCE - Working Papers del Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza def079, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimenti e Istituti di Scienze Economiche (DISCE).
    14. Michele Tettamanzi, 2017. "E Many Pluribus Unum: A Behavioural Macro-Economic Agent Based Model," DISCE - Working Papers del Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza def062, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimenti e Istituti di Scienze Economiche (DISCE).
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    16. Russell Davidson & Andrea Monticini, 2023. "Bootstrap Performance with Heteroskedasticity," DISCE - Working Papers del Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza def130, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimenti e Istituti di Scienze Economiche (DISCE).
    17. Boitani, Andrea & Dragomirescu-Gaina, Catalin, 2023. "News and narratives: A cointegration analysis of Russian economic policy uncertainty," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    18. Cottini Elena & Ghinetti Paolo, 2017. "Is it the Way You Live or the Job You Have? Health Effects of Lifestyles and Working Conditions," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 17(3), pages 1-20, July.
    19. Checchi, Daniele & Fenizia, Alessandra & Lucifora, Claudio, 2021. "Public Sector Jobs: Working in the Public Sector in Europe and the US," IZA Discussion Papers 14514, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    20. Rosario Crino & Giovanni Immordino & Gülen Karakoç-Palminteri & Salvatore Piccolo, 2018. "Fighting Mobile Crime," CSEF Working Papers 504, Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (CSEF), University of Naples, Italy.
    21. Galkiewicz, Agata & Marcus, Jan & Siedler, Thomas, 2024. "E-Learning at Universities: Does Starting with Difficult Questions Affect Student Performance?," IZA Discussion Papers 17479, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    22. Irene Torrini & Claudio Lucifora & Antonio Russo, 2022. "The Long-Term Effects of Hospitalization on Health Care Expenditures: An Empirical Analysis for the Young-Old Population," DISCE - Working Papers del Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza def117, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimenti e Istituti di Scienze Economiche (DISCE).
    23. Elena Cottini & Lorena Popescu & Luca Salmasi & Gilberto Turati, 2025. "Poisoned Air, Shortened Lives: PM2.5 Exposure and Premature Mortality in Southern European Cities," DISCE - Working Papers del Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza def143, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimenti e Istituti di Scienze Economiche (DISCE).
    24. Federico Di Pace & Giacomo Mangiante & Riccardo Masolo, 2024. "Monetary policy rules: the market’s view," DISCE - Working Papers del Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza def137, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimenti e Istituti di Scienze Economiche (DISCE).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law

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