Robert T. Burrus

Self-Reports of Student Cheating: Does a Definition of Cheating Matter?

The authors examine student cheating based on implicit and explicit definitions of cheating. Prior to being provided a definition of cheating, students reported whether they had cheated. Students were then provided a definition of cheating and asked to rereport their cheating behaviors. Results indicate that students do not understand what constitutes cheating and are much more likely to report cheating postdefinition. In addition, both pre- and postdefinition cheating behaviors are more prevalent for students with lower GPAs and for those who perceive more cheating by student peers. Alcohol consumption, seeing another student cheat, fraternity/sorority membership, and athletic membership also increase the likelihood of cheating. These findings are consistent with previous studies. On the basis of a sample of students who provided cheating data after a definition of cheating is communicated, the authors find that students who believe that punishment for cheating is relatively severe are less likely to report cheating and that students at institutions with well-publicized honor codes are less likely to admit to cheating compared with students at nonhonor code institutions.

Do efforts to reduce the supply of illicit drugs increase turf war violence? a theoretical analysis

This paper models illicit drug dealers as territorial monopolists. The model shows that an increase in efforts to reduce the supply of illicit drugs decreases a dealer’s expected monopoly returns over drug turf. Consequently, efforts to acquire drug turf through violence are reduced.

Student Quantitative Literacy: Importance, Measurement, and Correlation with Economic Literacy

The importance of quantitative skills in learning economics cannot be overstated. Many previous studies have attempted to measure the degree to which such skills impact performance in economics classes. Typically these studies have relied on a proxy for measuring quantitative skills, such as the number and type of math courses a student has completed. Yet it is the proficiency in math rather than the exposure to it that is expected to impact the learning of economics and performance in economics courses. In this paper we use a pre and post course math quiz to address two major research questions. First, we examine the degree to which students who have greater math aptitude also have a better grasp of basic economics concepts prior to taking a principles of economics course. Second, we explore the degree to which this math aptitude is correlated with higher economic learning. Our results indicate that (prior to taking a principles of economics course) students do not fare well on simple quantitative questions and hence do not possess an adequate working knowledge of the “language” we often speak during our economics courses. Our analysis shows, however, that quantitative literacy is a very important determinant of economic literacy in both the pre and post course surveys. More specifically, we have shown that having skills such as being able to solve a system of equations and compute a percentage, and being able to interpret increases and decreases on a graph will lead to higher economic knowledge at the end of the semester.

The impact of recruiting on NCAA basketball success

This study examines whether highly ranked recruiting classes significantly impact the number of games won by an NCAA mens basketball team the following year. The results suggest that highly regarded freshman guards increase the number of wins whereas freshman players at other positions do not have a significant impact. Although both experience and incoming talent significantly affect regular season wins, the results imply that experience trumps freshman talent in post-season play in the NCAA tournament.

Hurricane risk and coastal property owner choices

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to contrast the behavior of a US homeowner exposed to hurricane risk with government policies designed to limit hurricane losses. Owners limit these losses by selecting structural improvements or mitigation and wind and flood insurance.Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses mitigation costs, hurricane probabilities, and insurance premiums to frame rational cost‐minimizing choices for the homeowner.Findings – First, even though nationwide hurricane damage costs are large, the cost‐minimizing response for an individual property owner may be to buy no mitigation or structural improvements, no flood insurance and minimal wind insurance, as probabilities of strong hurricanes striking particular locations are extremely low. Second, additional insurance is a less costly defense than structural improvement, even under much higher insurance premiums and hurricane strike probabilities. Third, federally subsidized flood insurance may reduce the effectiveness of government...

Determining the Propensity for Academic Dishonesty Using Decision Tree Analysis

This article investigates the propensity for academic dishonesty by university students using the partitioning method of decision tree analysis. A set of prediction rules are presented, and conclusions are drawn. To provide context for the decision tree approach, the partition process is compared with results of more traditional probit regression models. Results of the decision tree analysis complement the probit models in terms of predictive accuracy and confirm results previously found in the literature. In particular, students’ moral character—whether they believe cheating is acceptable—is found to be the most important factor in determining the propensity for academic dishonesty.