Can You Cheat on a Scantron Test? 7 Cheating Myths Debunked

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If you’ve got a multiple choice test coming up and you didn’t study quite as hard as you meant to, you might be tempted to cheat. While there are a lot of rumors about how you can cheat on a Scantron test, most of them aren’t true, and some can even get you a lower score than you would have gotten in the first place. We’ve addressed some of the most common cheating tricks you might have heard of so you can avoid sabotaging your grade.

1

Myth: Using lip balm on a Scantron gets you a perfect score.

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  1. Rubbing Chapstick on your Scantron just makes it greasy. While there was a rumor going around for a while that the slick nature of the lip balm would mess up the grading machine, that just isn’t the case. In fact, it can even cause your correct answers to be marked as incorrect, giving you an even lower score than you would have gotten in the first place. [1]
    • Plus, your teacher might be able to see the grease marks on your Scantron and figure out what you tried to do.
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2

Myth: Using the wrong pencil gets you a better score.

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  1. It could cause you to fail the test. If you don’t use a #2 pencil on your Scantron, the grading machine might not be able to read it. If that’s the case, you could end up getting a 0 on the test. It’s better to use the right pencil and get an actual score than to risk it for a failed grade. [2]
3

Myth: Smearing your answers gets you a better score.

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  1. It could cause the machine to skip your answers. While it’s true that not fully filling in the bubble could confuse the grading machine, it could also lead to an incomplete score or an even lower grade. Plus, if the machine can’t read your test at all, you might fail completely. [3]
    • The same is true if you try to fill your answers in partially or halfway.
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4

Myth: Lightly shading your answers gets you a perfect score.

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  1. This method stems from a rumor from the 1990s. Scantrons have come a long way since then, and there are safeguards in place that prevent the machine from getting tripped up by this. If your Scantron does confuse the sensors, you could fail the test. [4]
    • Your teacher probably won’t be super happy that you didn’t follow directions and fill your answers in all the way.
5

Myth: Drawing lines on your Scantron gets you a good grade.

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  1. Filling out your Scantron incorrectly could cause you to fail. It’s true that zig zagging lines might confuse the sensors. However, if you fill out your Scantron incorrectly, your teacher may just throw it out. Drawing lines to connect your answer bubbles is pretty obvious, and the person grading your Scantron will be able to spot it right away. [5]
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6

Myth: Marking the sides will get you a perfect score.

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  1. Making extra marks will just cause an error in the machine. If you draw on the black lines on the sides of your Scantron, you might fail the test. Scantrons that can’t go through the machine usually aren’t graded. [6]
    • Some people also try writing on the black lines and then erasing them, which has the same effect.
7

Myth: Writing Answer Key on your test resets the machine.

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  1. All the tests after yours will fail, making it obvious what you did . If you switch from the teacher’s answer key to your own, there’s no way they aren’t going to notice. Plus, all they have to do is look at your Scantron to see that you wrote something extra on top. [7]
    • This is maybe the riskiest cheating method of all, since it’s instantly noticeable and can’t be written off as a mistake.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    Does the ChapStick on Scantron trick work?
    Drew Hawkins1
    Community Answer
    No, putting ChapStick or any other type of lip balm on your Scantron won't help your score. It'll only make your Scantron greasy. It's one of those rumors that just won't seem to go away. Even still, some people people believe that the slick nature of the lip balm would mess up the grading machine, that just isn’t the case. In fact, it can even cause your correct answers to be marked as incorrect, giving you an even lower score than you would have gotten in the first place. Besides, if your paper is smeared with lip balm, your teacher may notice and you could get in trouble for cheating. Don't buy into the rumors. ChapStick won't improve your score.
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  • Question
    Why do Scantrons need #2 pencils?
    Drew Hawkins1
    Community Answer
    Scantrons use #2 pencils so the machine is able to identify your markings and read your answers. There's a popular myth that using a #1 or another type of pencil will somehow trick the machine into giving you a better score. But using a different pencil won't get you a better score on your test. In fact, using anything besides a #2 pencil could cause you to fail your test. If you don’t use a #2 pencil on your Scantron, the grading machine might not be able to read it. If that’s the case, you could end up getting a 0 on the test. It’s better to use the right pencil and get an actual score than to risk it for a failed grade.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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    Not Helpful 1 Helpful 6
  • Question
    Can I mark the sides of a Scantron to get a perfect score?
    Drew Hawkins1
    Community Answer
    No, marking the sides of the test won't improve your score. In fact, it could cause you to fail. The grading machine uses the markings on the side to help orient itself so the paper is fed through the machine correctly. If you alter the markings on the side, the machine may not accept your test. If your test can't be read, it may not be graded at all. Even if you mark the sides and then try to erase them, it can still interfere with the way the grading machine operates. Play it safe and fill out the answer bubbles only. Steer clear of the markings on the side of the paper so your Scantron can be properly graded.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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      Tips

      • The best way to take a multiple choice test is to narrow down your answers and pick from the best ones.
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      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • I have 4.6 GPA as a junior in high school. What I do is study right before the test and put everything into my short term memory. This works best with vocabulary tests, formulas, and history.
      • It's best to study! If you're studying the right material every day before the test, at about an hour each day, you'll for sure pass without having to cheat.
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      Warnings

      • There are often serious consequences that can happen when you cheat on a Scantron test. If you’re in college or university, you could even get expelled.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/bubble-buoyed/
      2. ↑ https://www.hercampus.com/school/cnu/scantron-cheating-tricks-debunked
      3. ↑ https://www.hercampus.com/school/cnu/scantron-cheating-tricks-debunked
      4. ↑ https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/bubble-buoyed/
      5. ↑ https://www.hercampus.com/school/cnu/scantron-cheating-tricks-debunked
      6. ↑ https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/bubble-buoyed/
      7. ↑ https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/bubble-buoyed/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      Although the only sure way to pass a Scantron test is to mark the correct answers, you can theoretically cheat by tricking the Scantron machine into thinking that you only have a few answers marked. To make your answers difficult for the Scantron machine to read, apply a little chapstick on top of the bubbles you've filled in. Since putting chapstick on every answer could make it look like you didn't answer any questions at all, try to only mark answers that you're sure are wrong. However, keep in mind that getting caught cheating on a Scantron test could result in a complete failure or disciplinary action, so try your best to study and make your best guess on your test, if you can. For more advice, including how to cheat by messing with the lines on a Scantron test, read on.

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