How to accuse your students of cheating... with STYLE.
From: Virginia Brooks
Subject: The Prisoner's Dilemma
To: CLASS
Let's play a game. I'd like to invite you to check out the Wikipedia entry for The Prisoner's Dilemma at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner%27s_dilemma.
I really enjoyed the study of The Prisoner's Dilemma as part of my game theory course in grad school. Here is a brief synopsis:
The Prisoner's Dilemma constitutes a problem in game theory. It was originally framed by Merrill Flood and Melvin Dresher working at RAND in 1950. Albert W. Tucker formalized the game with prison sentence payoffs and gave it the "Prisoner's Dilemma" name (Poundstone, 1992).
In its "classical" form, the prisoner's dilemma (PD) is presented as follows:
Two suspects are arrested by the police. The police have insufficient evidence for a conviction, and, having separated both prisoners, visit each of them to offer the same deal. If one testifies ("defects") for the prosecution against the other and the other remains silent, the betrayer goes free and the silent accomplice receives the full 10-year sentence. If both remain silent, both prisoners are sentenced to only six months in jail for a minor charge. If each betrays the other, each receives a five-year sentence. Each prisoner must choose to betray the other or to remain silent. Each one is assured that the other would not know about the betrayal before the end of the investigation. How should the prisoners act?
Here is your quandary (yes, it's a real word - look it up):
At least one of you cheated on today's exam. You can't possibly deny it, as I sat back and watched it happen during the entire exam. Leaning over and checking answers a multitude of times - classic cheaterdom.
If you are in league with someone else, then I suggest that you refer to the above description of the Prisoner's Dilemma and get your collective story straight. If you suspect that someone wronged you, then I suggest that you plead innocent and accuse someone else of wrongdoing.
The penalty will either affect both parties or only one. I suggest you come forward now. I'm not a pleasant angry person... I have many, many zeros on your class's spreadsheet, and I'm not afraid to plop down two more in the place of the As that you both would have gotten.
You have until 5:00pm tomorrow (Tuesday) to respond to this e-mail.
That is all.
Everyone else, good job. I think you beat the other class's average by at least 15 points.
Subject: The Prisoner's Dilemma
To: CLASS
Let's play a game. I'd like to invite you to check out the Wikipedia entry for The Prisoner's Dilemma at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner%27s_dilemma.
I really enjoyed the study of The Prisoner's Dilemma as part of my game theory course in grad school. Here is a brief synopsis:
The Prisoner's Dilemma constitutes a problem in game theory. It was originally framed by Merrill Flood and Melvin Dresher working at RAND in 1950. Albert W. Tucker formalized the game with prison sentence payoffs and gave it the "Prisoner's Dilemma" name (Poundstone, 1992).
In its "classical" form, the prisoner's dilemma (PD) is presented as follows:
Two suspects are arrested by the police. The police have insufficient evidence for a conviction, and, having separated both prisoners, visit each of them to offer the same deal. If one testifies ("defects") for the prosecution against the other and the other remains silent, the betrayer goes free and the silent accomplice receives the full 10-year sentence. If both remain silent, both prisoners are sentenced to only six months in jail for a minor charge. If each betrays the other, each receives a five-year sentence. Each prisoner must choose to betray the other or to remain silent. Each one is assured that the other would not know about the betrayal before the end of the investigation. How should the prisoners act?
Here is your quandary (yes, it's a real word - look it up):
At least one of you cheated on today's exam. You can't possibly deny it, as I sat back and watched it happen during the entire exam. Leaning over and checking answers a multitude of times - classic cheaterdom.
If you are in league with someone else, then I suggest that you refer to the above description of the Prisoner's Dilemma and get your collective story straight. If you suspect that someone wronged you, then I suggest that you plead innocent and accuse someone else of wrongdoing.
The penalty will either affect both parties or only one. I suggest you come forward now. I'm not a pleasant angry person... I have many, many zeros on your class's spreadsheet, and I'm not afraid to plop down two more in the place of the As that you both would have gotten.
You have until 5:00pm tomorrow (Tuesday) to respond to this e-mail.
That is all.
Everyone else, good job. I think you beat the other class's average by at least 15 points.