# Tattooed formula sheets - should there be a problem? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 26, 2014, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattooed-formula-sheets-should-there-be-a-problem/684587 "2014-03-26T04:38:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![tapu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tapu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapu)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2014, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattooed-formula-sheets-should-there-be-a-problem/684587/21 "2014-03-27T16:10:56Z")
Referencing: **NANODA** Practically speaking, we wouldn’t let you test and your board could deal with those questions. Not sure as to how Johnny’s case would work but my guess is that it wouldn’t come up in the testing incident. That aside, I do see the value of your questions. I’d have to think a bit longer about them to form a firm opinion. Until then, I’d like to see any discussion that ensues. ---
**Author:** ![tapu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tapu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapu)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2014, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattooed-formula-sheets-should-there-be-a-problem/684587/22 "2014-03-27T16:14:46Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > My GF’s university (where she’s a postgraduate admin) requires long-sleeved tops for exams. Wonder what the reasoning is. Short sleeves mean you aren’t hiding info there. With long sleeves, you can be covering stuff on your arms and looking at it fairly discreetly. We ask people to pull up long sleeves so we can inspect their arms. (with no touching of course) Do you know what the uni’s reasoning is? ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2014, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattooed-formula-sheets-should-there-be-a-problem/684587/23 "2014-03-27T16:42:21Z")
> [@tapu](#): > > Do you know what the uni’s reasoning is? It’s the University of the South Pole? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2014, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattooed-formula-sheets-should-there-be-a-problem/684587/24 "2014-03-27T16:45:29Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by Chronos View Post > Most school dress codes prohibit visible tattoos Still waiting for a cite to this remarkable claim. ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2014, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattooed-formula-sheets-should-there-be-a-problem/684587/25 "2014-03-27T16:53:48Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And **BrotherCadfael** , I just went looking for references to tattoos in dress codes, and am 0 for 3 so far (though I did see one that prohibited various sorts of offensive tattoos, it wouldn’t apply to a tat of a formula). So I guess I stand corrected and surprised on that point. > [@Procrustus](#): > > Still waiting for a cite to this remarkable claim. He already retracted. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2014, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattooed-formula-sheets-should-there-be-a-problem/684587/26 "2014-03-27T16:58:07Z")
> [@tapu](#): > > Wonder what the reasoning is. Short sleeves mean you aren’t hiding info there. With long sleeves, you can be covering stuff on your arms and looking at it fairly discreetly. We ask people to pull up long sleeves so we can inspect their arms. (with no touching of course) > > Do you know what the uni’s reasoning is? I haven’t actually seen the written rules for it, but I can imagine the reasoning: it stops temptations to cheat, and covers both the uni’s and the student’s backs, in that they can say that no writing or tattoo could possibly have been used to cheat in that exam. No need to ask students to pull up their sleeves and possibly reveal something which would disqualify them from the exam. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2014, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattooed-formula-sheets-should-there-be-a-problem/684587/27 "2014-03-27T17:14:47Z")
And as for why it should be a problem: the people invigilating the exam will almost definitely not be the people who mark the exam. They may not have any science background at all. They won’t be able to tell if your tatoo is a cheat or not. Open arms means you can OK your tattoos beforehand. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2014, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattooed-formula-sheets-should-there-be-a-problem/684587/28 "2014-03-27T18:03:58Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > I haven’t actually seen the written rules for it, but I can imagine the reasoning: it stops temptations to cheat, and covers both the uni’s and the student’s backs, in that they can say that no writing or tattoo could possibly have been used to cheat in that exam. No need to ask students to pull up their sleeves and possibly reveal something which would disqualify them from the exam. I’m confused. Did you originally mean to say that the uni requires _short_ sleeves? Because long sleeves would seem to exacerbate these issues, not solve them. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2014, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattooed-formula-sheets-should-there-be-a-problem/684587/29 "2014-03-27T18:41:52Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I’m confused. Did you originally mean to say that the uni requires _short_ sleeves? Because long sleeves would seem to exacerbate these issues, not solve them. Oops! Yes, I did. ---
**Author:** ![tapu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tapu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapu)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2014, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattooed-formula-sheets-should-there-be-a-problem/684587/30 "2014-03-27T18:44:48Z")
Do you know why you have to remove wristwatch and any bracelets? ---
**Author:** ![tapu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tapu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapu)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2014, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattooed-formula-sheets-should-there-be-a-problem/684587/31 "2014-03-27T21:02:16Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > Oops! Yes, I did. Ah HA! That’s why I was confused. So GF’s uni is following the same reasoning we do regarding short/long sleeves. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattooed-formula-sheets-should-there-be-a-problem/684587/32 "2014-03-28T11:50:12Z")
> [@tapu](#): > > Do you know why you have to remove wristwatch and any bracelets? The same reason Bluetooth earpieces are not allowed? ---
**Author:** ![tapu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tapu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapu)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattooed-formula-sheets-should-there-be-a-problem/684587/33 "2014-03-28T16:10:32Z")
No, that’s more involved. The watch and bracelet rule is simply that people make noise when they’re wearing them and using a mouse or keyboard. There are all kinds of little rules that seem like they might be for one reason, but are really for quite another. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattooed-formula-sheets-should-there-be-a-problem/684587/34 "2014-03-28T20:20:59Z")
But suppose the tattoo was in invisible ink ? One have a bottle of lemon juice, takes a swig, surreptitiously licks oneself, and by the time the invigilator glances at one the writing which at first was as clear as red flame has all but disappeared… ---
**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattooed-formula-sheets-should-there-be-a-problem/684587/35 "2014-03-28T23:24:51Z")
> [@Claverhouse](#): > > But suppose the tattoo was in invisible ink ? One have a bottle of lemon juice, takes a swig, surreptitiously licks oneself, and by the time the invigilator glances at one the writing which at first was as clear as red flame has all but disappeared… +1 for the Tolkien reference, but unfortunately isn’t lemon juice the invisible ink itself, not the agent for revealing the hidden message? Though perhaps if it was a practical chemistry exam one might be able to inscribe crib notes in lemon juice and then use the bunsen burner to reveal them. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![tapu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tapu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapu)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2014, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattooed-formula-sheets-should-there-be-a-problem/684587/36 "2014-03-29T21:48:56Z")
> [@Claverhouse](#): > > But suppose the tattoo was in invisible ink ? One have a bottle of lemon juice, takes a swig, surreptitiously licks oneself, and by the time the invigilator glances at one the writing which at first was as clear as red flame has all but disappeared… No liquids permitted in testing room. Plus what Appollyon said about this, specifically. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattooed-formula-sheets-should-there-be-a-problem/684587.md?page=1)