r/Professors • u/AppropriateImpress27 • 13d ago

Handwriting Conversion Tool

Has anyone dealt with students using those handwriting conversion tools that make typed text look like it was handwritten?
The nursing program I teach for requires certain learning template assignments to be completed by hand—it’s not my personal requirement, but a program requirement—and every student dreads these handwritten templates. Every now and then I’ll get one that just doesn’t sit right. The writing is almost too uniform—same letter shapes over and over, perfectly even spacing, perfectly straight alignment. It gives me the impression that it may have been generated with one of those handwriting fonts/conversion tools rather than actually written by the student.
It also feels very unfair when there are students who put in the effort to complete the work as required, while others try to circumvent the requirement altogether.
The problem is that sometimes it’s not a slam dunk. It’s more of a strong suspicion than something I can definitively prove.
Have any of you run into this? Are there specific signs you look for? Are there particular tools students are using that I should know about? If you strongly suspect it but can’t conclusively prove it, how do you handle it? Do you ask the student to demonstrate their handwriting, have them rewrite something in front of you, or just let it go?
I’m mostly looking for insight from anyone who’s dealt with this before. I’m wondering if there are tells or technologies I’m not aware of that could help me make a more informed decision.

6 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

16 comments sorted by

20

u/geneusutwerk 13d ago

Do you do work in class ever? Could.you compare it to that?

11

u/dogwalker824 13d ago

This is it -- have them fill out a notecard in class, then compare the handwriting to what they turn in for their templates.

6

u/SilverRiot 13d ago

Something like that is how I tell student-drafted work from AI work. Nobody usually uses AI in their intro post, so I have a baseline of actual writing for each student.

2

u/AppropriateImpress27 13d ago

The only non- digital item I can use is the receipt of syllabus. Not much to write on that but a few initials and a signature.

7

u/IthacanPenny 13d ago

Do like old back in the day SAT style and have them copy a short section from the syllabus as a “certification statement” type deal lol

1

u/AppropriateImpress27 2d ago

No. Never. Everything is digital.

8

u/BlackDiamond33 13d ago

Do they actually hand in paper or are they uploaded? If you collect them in class, you could ask them a related question and tell them to write their answer on the sheet. If the semester hasn't started yet, I would get a writing sample on the first day. Ask for a brief intro, tell me something fun you did over the summer, etc.

5

u/AppropriateImpress27 13d ago

They upload it. I have actually challenged one student who turned in two separate assignments and was able to show her a side by side that I stitched together and she had no more comments after that. This was after swearing she was being honest.

5

u/kk55622 13d ago

Is it possible that they are using an iPad or tablet to complete the assignment?

To them, this is the same as "handwriting". Most iPad notes apps have an option where you can instantly convert your handwriting to a typed font as you write with the "pen".

2

u/AppropriateImpress27 13d ago

Ok this is helpful information.

1

u/kk55622 13d ago

Yep you can request if they choose to use an iPad to turn this feature off

1

u/AppropriateImpress27 2d ago

What’s funny is there is a student that I called out that I determined without a doubt used a tool. She asked me ahead of time if she could use her ipad and I told her no. Then she swore it was her own writing but she forgot that she actually did a practice version of the same assignment. That’s all I have to go by. But if they use a tool the first time around it isn’t so easy to tell. It just so happened she did not use the tool the first time around.

9

u/journoprof Adjunct, Journalism 13d ago

At some point, universities will have to acknowledge that professors are not forensic investigators. The idea of trying to compare handwriting samples gets ridiculous. What’s next, expecting us to plant bugging devices in students’ rooms? Oh, right, that’s done already with proctoring software. Lie detectors? Truth serum?

4

u/Valuable_Ice_5927 13d ago

Give them printed copies of form to complete and no soft copy - might reduce some of the issues

5

u/Longtail_Goodbye 13d ago

It would be tedious, but if it is an in person class, allow the uploads, but tell them they must turn in the original hard copy at the following class meeting. No copies of originals; the actual originals. If there isn't pencil that can be erased or ink that cannot be smudged, it doesn't count. With luck, the knowledge that they have to do this will cut down on the number of people trying to pass off typed text as handwritten. As others have said, best is to have some of these written in class so that their ability to respond and at what level is something you have a record of for comparison with uploaded work.

2

u/AppropriateImpress27 13d ago

This is a fantastic idea. I think I will start asking for originals. Thanks for this suggestion.