Unmonitored Online Exams: Valid Assessment or Score Inflation?

Background The validity of unmonitored online exams has raised concerns about academic integrity and grade inflation, especially given the rise of artificial intelligence–powered tools. Objective This study evaluates the validity of unmonitored online exams by comparing student performance between two sections of an undergraduate personality psychology course: one section completed an unmonitored online multiple-choice final exam while the other completed an in-person multiple-choice final exam. Method A quasi-experimental design was used with two undergraduate personality psychology course sections. Section 1 (Spring 2022, n = 153) took an in-person final exam, while Section 2 (Spring 2023, n = 160) took an unmonitored online final exam. Both sections completed identical in-person exams throughout the semester. Results Online final exam scores were significantly higher than the in-person final exam scores. The correlation between regular in-person exams was strong for the in-person final exam but weak for the online final exam. Exam format was a stronger predictor of final exam scores than prior performance. Conclusion Unmonitored online exams lead to inflated scores and may not reflect students’ true abilities. Teaching Implications Educators should reconsider using unmonitored online exams for high-stakes assessments and explore alternative methods or enhanced monitoring to maintain academic integrity.