Schools Fight AI Cheating with Return to Pen and Paper Blue Books
July 4, 2025 – As artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT become ubiquitous in education, U.S. schools and universities are grappling with a surge in AI-assisted cheating. In response, many educators are reviving a decades-old solution: blue book exams. These stapled, lined booklets, once a staple of college testing, are making a comeback as a low-tech defense against digital shortcuts, forcing students to rely on their own knowledge under proctored conditions. While the return of blue books signals a push to preserve academic integrity, it also sparks debate about balancing traditional methods with the realities of an AI-driven world.
The AI Cheating Crisis
The rise of generative AI, particularly since ChatGPT’s launch in late 2022, has transformed how students approach assignments. A January 2023 survey by Study.com found that 89% of college students admitted to using ChatGPT for homework, with 53% using it to write essays and 48% for at-home tests or quizzes. AI-detection tools, meant to identify AI-generated work, often fail, misflagging original work or missing AI contributions entirely. This has led to widespread concern among educators, with 59% of university leaders reporting increased cheating since AI tools became widely available, according to a survey by the American Association of Colleges and Universities and Elon University.
Students are using AI for everything from coding assignments to literature essays, treating education like a “high-stakes video game to be algorithmically juked,” as noted by Gizmodo. The ease of generating polished essays or answers in seconds has eroded traditional assessment methods, particularly take-home assignments, which are now vulnerable to manipulation.
Blue Books: An Analog Solution
To combat this, educators are turning to blue books—inexpensive, stapled booklets with blue covers used for handwritten, in-class exams. Sales have surged, with Texas A&M University reporting a 30% increase, the University of Florida nearly 50%, and UC Berkeley an 80% rise over the past two academic years. Roaring Spring Paper Products, the primary manufacturer of blue books, has seen a business boom, with each booklet costing just 23 cents at campus bookstores.
The appeal is simple: blue books require students to write by hand under supervision, eliminating access to AI tools during exams. Yale lecturer Kevin Elliott, for example, switched to blue books after spotting AI-generated essays with fabricated philosopher quotes, a move he plans to continue due to its effectiveness. At St. Michael’s College, assistant professor Alexandra Garrett uses blue books exclusively for her history exams, noting that they reveal students’ true knowledge, despite occasional handwriting challenges.
Professors like Quentin Coupet at St. Peter’s University have also adopted blue books, observing that students unprepared for class struggled more visibly on handwritten exams, as AI could no longer mask their gaps in understanding. The University of Michigan’s Alumni Association has supported this shift, providing over 8,500 blue books to students this academic year to reduce financial strain and promote academic success.
Challenges and Criticisms
While blue books offer a practical solution, they’re not without drawbacks. Philip D. Bunn, an assistant professor at Covenant College, argues that in-class essays can’t replicate the depth of take-home research papers, which foster critical thinking and revision over time. “Something serious is lost if we give up entirely on the traditional essay,” Bunn wrote, emphasizing the value of analytical and research-based work. Tara Nattrass of ISTE+ASCD suggests that blue books are a temporary fix, advocating for AI literacy and clear guidelines to address cheating more holistically.
Handwritten exams also pose challenges for students unaccustomed to writing at length. Coupet noted that many of his students had never taken a handwritten college exam and required instructions on basic blue book protocols. Legibility can be an issue, though Garrett reported needing students to read their answers aloud only twice in her career. Additionally, timed exams may disadvantage students who excel in reflective, research-heavy tasks, potentially limiting their ability to demonstrate deep understanding.
The Bigger Picture
The blue book resurgence reflects a broader struggle to adapt education to the AI era. Princeton professor Arthur Spirling finds it “strange” to ban AI in classrooms when students will use it in their careers, suggesting a need to teach responsible AI use rather than outright prohibition. Social media discussions on X highlight mixed sentiments: @ElwinSidney noted the shift to handwritten exams as a response to AI cheating, while @WSJ framed blue books as “every student’s worst nightmare,” underscoring their rigorous reputation.
Some educators propose hybrid solutions, blending analog and digital methods. For instance, allowing AI for brainstorming or outlines but requiring handwritten exams could balance innovation with integrity. Others, like Stephen Cicirelli, express frustration at having to act as both teacher and “AI detector,” with one student’s AI-written apology email highlighting the absurdity of the situation.
Looking Ahead
The return of blue books is a stopgap measure in an ongoing “arms race” between technology and academic integrity. While effective in curbing AI cheating during exams, it doesn’t address broader issues, such as students’ reliance on AI for homework or the need for systemic policy changes. Surveys indicate that 51% of higher education leaders see no issue with using AI for outlines, but consensus on broader AI use remains elusive. As AI tools grow more sophisticated—ChatGPT now boasts 500 million weekly users—educators face pressure to evolve assessments, possibly integrating AI literacy or oral exams alongside blue books.
For now, blue books are a nostalgic yet practical tool, forcing students to think on their feet without digital crutches. However, as education navigates this AI-driven landscape, the challenge remains: how to foster authentic learning while preparing students for a world where AI is unavoidable.
Rating: The blue book strategy earns a 4/5 for its effectiveness in curbing AI cheating and promoting authentic assessment, but it loses a point for its limitations in fostering deep, research-based learning and its inability to fully address the systemic challenges of AI in education.