Oral exams are making a comeback to stop AI cheating. But they have their own problems

Phys · Aug 18, 2026 · 764 words · By Nicole Brownlie

AI in Education Educational Equity Academic Integrity

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What to know about AI in Education

The article discusses the resurgence of oral exams in schools and universities as a method to combat AI-assisted cheating. It outlines the potential benefits of oral assessments while highlighting concerns regarding student anxiety, linguistic fairness, and grading consistency.

Propaganda risk 10%

Claims checked 8

Techniques found 1

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center89%

Right11%

9 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Oral exams are making a comeback to stop AI cheating.

Why it matters

But they have their own problems Lisa Lock Scientific Editor Andrew Zinin Chief Editor Universities are increasingly turning to oral exams to stop students from using artificial intelligence (AI) to cheat.

Common ground

Some universities say it allows teachers to more accurately test students' knowledge.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this AI in Education story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that A follow-up study found that, with the same examiners, some students received fewer than 10 questions while others received nearly 50?
How does this story connect AI in Education with Educational Equity over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://phys.org/news/2026-08-oral-exams-comeback-ai-problems.html

analyticsAnalysis

10%

Propaganda Score

confidence: 95%

Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 70% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 8 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 3

info Single Source 3

verified Verified By Reference 2

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Claim 1: “A follow-up study found that, with the same examiners, some students received fewer than 10 questions while others received nearly 50.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The provided evidence for this claim consists of irrelevant results (study vlogs, fizzy water, citizenship tests). No study mentioning the specific range of 10 to 50 questions was found in the provided text.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Harald V (21 February 1937 – 28 August 2026) was King of Norway from 1991 until his death in 2026. Born in Skaugum, Asker, during the reign of his paternal grandfather, King Haakon VII, Harald was th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harald_V

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country comprising the western and northernmost parts of the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe, the remote Arctic island Jan Mayen and the…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norway

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The krone (Norwegian: [ˈkrûːnə], abbreviation: kr (also NKr for distinction); code: NOK), plural kroner, is the currency of the Kingdom of Norway (including overseas territories and dependencies). It …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_krone

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 2: “a study of oral exams in Norwegian secondary schools found initial student presentations ranged from 5–16 minutes.”

CORROBORATED

Two separate web search results (UniSQ and another source) explicitly state that a study of oral exams in Norwegian secondary schools found initial presentations ranged from 5 to 16 minutes.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Princess Ragnhild, Mrs. Lorentzen (Ragnhild Alexandra; 9 June 1930 – 16 September 2012), was the eldest child of King Olav V of Norway and Princess Märtha of Sweden and the older sister of King Harald…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Ragnhild,_Mrs._Lorent…

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 3: “follow-up discussions ranged from 7–23 minutes.”

CORROBORATED

Two separate web search results (UniSQ and another source) explicitly state that follow-up discussions in the Norwegian study ranged from 7 to 23 minutes.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Haakon VII (Norwegian: [ˈhôːkʊn]; born Prince Carl of Denmark; 3 August 1872 – 21 September 1957) was King of Norway from 1905 until his death in 1957. Born in Copenhagen during the reign of his gran…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haakon_VII

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Olav V (born Prince Alexander of Denmark; 2 July 1903 – 17 January 1991) was King of Norway from 1957 until his death in 1991. Olav was born on the royal Sandringham Estate in England, the only child …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olav_V

+ 3 more evidence sources

info

Claim 4: “Oral exams date back to ancient Greece.”

SINGLE SOURCE

Only one source (Seasia.co) mentions that oral examinations date back to ancient institutions in Rome and Greece. Other search results for 'Ancient Greece' do not mention oral exams.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Ancient Greek Toilet. Ancient Roman Plumbing.In a study using Listerine Cool Mint, researchers concluded that alcohol-based mouthwash may disrupt a person's oral microbiome and lead to gum disease and…
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/ancient-romans-brushed-their-t…

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web search NEUTRAL — The Olympic Games originated in Ancient Greece. The Hellenistic period followed the classical era, marked by Alexander the Great's conquests and the spread of Greek culture across a vast empire.
https://studyx.ai/homework/111288531-ancient-greece-in-the-b…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — In this first episode, we explore the earliest origins of Lilith in ancient Sumeria, her mythological development in Ancient Israel, the Babylonian Talmud, Incantation Bowls and Rabbinical Legends whe…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1EKccz4fS0

info

Claim 5: “A German study found university students experienced more anxiety in oral exams than written ones.”

SINGLE SOURCE

While there is evidence that oral exams are related to social anxiety and that test anxiety exists in general, no specific 'German study' comparing anxiety levels between oral and written exams was found in the provided evidence.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — limited in written exams, whereas oral exams demand both performance and social interaction skills. To better understand the relationship of TA and SA, this study aims to explore similarities and diff…
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5031936/

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web search NEUTRAL — A study conducted by the University College London found that those with heightened test anxiety were more likely to engage in avoidance behaviors, such as procrastination and skipping study sessions,…
https://blogs.psico-smart.com/blog-the-impact-of-test-anxiet…

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web search NEUTRAL — In 2016 there was a study conducted on the relationship between test anxiety and academic achievement among undergraduate nursing students.The study also presented that students with a high academic l…
https://hub.edubirdie.com/examples/test-anxiety-and-undergra…

info

Claim 6: “some NSW schools are also using oral exams to prevent cheating.”

SINGLE SOURCE

Only one web search result (UniSQ) mentions that some NSW schools are using oral exams to prevent AI cheating. Other results for 'NSW' are irrelevant (National Parks, Rugby, etc.).

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Colony of New South Wales was a self-governing Crown colony within the British Empire that existed from 7 February 1788 until 1 January 1901, when it federated to become a state of the Commonwealt…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_of_New_South_Wales

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a state on the east coast of Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria to the south, and South Australia to the west. Its coast borders t…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_South_Wales

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Also known as the Blues due to …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_South_Wales_rugby_league_t…

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 7: “Universities are increasingly turning to oral exams to stop students from using artificial intelligence (AI) to cheat.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web sources confirm that universities are reviving or increasing the use of oral exams specifically to combat AI-assisted cheating.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — AI is a problem at universities only because of the messy logistics of oral exams, coupled with a strange allergy we've developed to administering written exams. Brings those two back and the AI probl…
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mcbilly-yaw-graham-39174334a_…

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web search NEUTRAL — University professors across the United States are increasingly turning to oral examinations—a testing method dating back to ancient institutions in Rome, Gre.
https://seasia.co/short/professors-turn-to-oral-exams-to-cur…

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web search NEUTRAL — Universities are increasingly turning to oral exams to stop students from using artificial intelligence (AI) to cheat. Some universities say it allows teachers to more accurately test students' knowle…
https://phys.org/news/2026-08-oral-exams-comeback-ai-problem…

verified

Claim 8: “This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Cross-references explicitly state the article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license, and Wikipedia confirms the nature of The Conversation and Creative Commons licenses.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Conversation is a network of nonprofit media outlets publishing news stories and research reports online, authored by academics with professional journalist editors to produce accessible research-…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Conversation_(website)

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Creative Commons is maintaining a content directory wiki of organizations and projects using Creative Commons licenses. On its website CC also provides case studies of projects using CC licenses acros…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_Commons–licensed_cont…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of notable works available under a Creative Commons license. There are multiple Creative Commons licenses, each with important differences.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_major_Creative_Commons…

+ 3 more evidence sources

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.