A Proctorio flag marks a moment in an exam that the software identified for an instructor to review, and a suspicion level summarizes those flags. Neither is a finding that a student cheated. Proctorio’s own FAQ states that it doesn’t determine which behavior counts as cheating, and that only the instructor or institution decides what is considered a violation of exam integrity.
A note on tools and policies: Proctorio’s software is updated regularly, and its behavior depends on the settings each instructor or school chooses. Schools also set their own rules for how proctoring results are used. This article describes Proctorio as the company and universities using it have published. The current documentation and the school’s current policies are the controlling sources.
What Does Proctorio Say About Determining Cheating?
Proctorio states that it doesn’t determine which behavior is considered cheating.
According to Proctorio’s FAQ, only the instructor or institution can decide what type of behavior infringes on the integrity of an exam, and instructors can review exam attempts to verify whether flagged behavior actually did. The FAQ also states that the instructor or institution, not the software, chooses which settings are enabled during an exam, and that only they have access to exam recordings and can make determinations about academic integrity violations.
What Is a Proctorio Suspicion Level?
A suspicion level is a calculation that summarizes how many moments in an exam were flagged as suspicious, along with any detected abnormalities.
According to university training materials on Proctorio’s behavior settings, the instructor assigns each type of behavior a weight from 0 to 5, which determines how much it counts toward the suspicion level. A behavior set to 0 doesn’t count at all. The resulting suspicion scores appear in Proctorio’s gradebook, color-coded to highlight attempts for review.
What Are Proctorio Abnormalities?
Abnormalities are behaviors that stand out compared with the rest of the class, identified using statistical methods.
According to university guidance on Proctorio’s settings, abnormalities can include technical measures, such as an exam that took significantly more or less time than other students’ exams. Because abnormalities are measured against classmates, a student can be flagged for being different from the group rather than for any specific misconduct.
Can Proctorio Flag Innocent Behavior?
Yes. Proctorio’s own FAQ notes that even when actions are flagged, the instructor reviews the exam attempt to judge whether the behavior was actually dishonest.
Because suspicion levels depend on the weights an instructor chooses and on comparisons with the rest of the class, the same behavior can be scored differently in different courses.
What Happens After a Proctorio Flag?
An instructor may review the flagged portions of the recording and decide whether to take further action, which can include referring the matter to the school’s academic integrity process.
If a case is opened, the school’s procedures decide the outcome based on all the available information. For more on online exam cases, see accused of cheating on Honorlock and can you cheat on a proctored exam.
Common Misconceptions About Proctorio Flags
“Proctorio decided I cheated.” Proctorio states that it doesn’t determine what counts as cheating; the instructor or institution does.
“A high suspicion level proves misconduct.” A suspicion level summarizes flagged moments based on settings the instructor chose; it’s a prompt for review.
“Every course scores behavior the same way.” Instructors set the weight of each behavior, so the same behavior can count differently in different courses.
“I was flagged for something I did wrong.” Abnormalities compare students to the rest of the class, so a flag can reflect being different from the group.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Proctorio decide if I cheated?
No. Proctorio’s FAQ states that it doesn’t determine which behavior is considered cheating; only the instructor or institution can.
What is a Proctorio suspicion level?
A calculation summarizing flagged moments and detected abnormalities during an exam, shown in Proctorio’s gradebook to highlight attempts for review.
Who chooses what Proctorio flags?
The instructor or institution chooses the settings, including how much weight each type of behavior carries.
What is an abnormality in Proctorio?
A behavior or measure that stands out compared with the rest of the class, such as an unusually long or short exam time.
Representation for Students Flagged by Proctorio
Every case turns on its specific facts and on the school’s policies as they stand at the time of the case, and both proctoring tools and school policies change. Attorney Richard Asselta is a student defense attorney who represents students facing online exam and academic misconduct allegations at colleges and universities nationwide. Call 855-338-5299.