Undergraduate Students’ Perspectives on Plagiarism (original) (raw)
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African Journal of Library, Archival and Information Science 22 (1) 53-60., 2012
This study examined students' awareness of plagiarism in Babcock University, one of the first-established private universities in Nigeria. The study also assessed the incidences of plagiarism among students and the perceived factors responsible for plagiarism. Out of the 200 copies of a structured questionnaire randomly distributed to students, 169 copies (84.5%) were returned and used for the analyses. The results indicated that most of the students lacked good understanding of behaviours that constitute plagiarism and are more likely to commit unintentional plagiarism. Copying from the web without attribution is very common as more than 60% of the students admitted that they often engaged in such practices. The ease of accessing information from the internet, the desire to earn good grades, a poor knowledge of citation principles and the pressure to meet assignment deadlines were mentioned as the most prominent reasons for plagiarism. A significant positive relationship was found between perception and incidence of plagiarism, indicating that awareness of behavior that constitute plagiarism does not in any way deter students from engaging in the behaviours. The study recommended that academic institutions should discourage unintentional plagiarism by teaching students the techniques of summarization and referencing, adopt strict policies and sanctions against intentional plagiarism and embark on value reorientation to encourage honesty, diligence, fairness and academic integrity among students. Introduction Among the legacies that quality education bequeaths on its recipients is the capacity to think critically and analytically as well as generate novel ideas. The purpose of university education is to produce creative and original thinkers who can contribute meaningfully to the development of the society. This noble mission is however becoming a herculean task as the increasing number of literature on academic plagiarism attest to the prevalence of the practice among university students. Like piracy and other forms if copyright infringement, plagiarism violates other people's' intellectual property rights. It undermines the principles of honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility which are fundamental to academics. It devalues the integrity of academic qualifications and discourages students who do not engage in such practices (JISC, 2005). There is therefore a need to understand students' perception of plagiarism and the factors contributing to the prevalence of the practice in order to effectively combat it.
This study examines students' understanding of plagiarism in universities in Tanzania using the case of Mzumbe University. A single case study design and a mixed approach were employed. The study population of 211 students pursuing education programmes was involved, and a sample of 72 students was obtained using stratified and purposive sampling techniques. Data obtained was analysed using SPSS and the content analysis technique. Results revealed little understanding of what constitutes plagiarism by 57 (79%) of the total respondents. Major forms of plagiarism identified by respondents were source-based 27 (38%), and direct plagiarism 20 (28%). Causes of plagiarism pinpointed by respondents were laziness 52 (71.6%), poor time management 43 (59.7%), difficult assignments 53 (73.6%), and unawareness of penalties associated with plagiarism 38 (51.8%). This study recommends that all undergraduate works should be subjected to plagiarism check, the University should develop a plagiarism policy, and that plagiarism is taught as a topic to students.
An insight into the awareness, perception and attitude of Nigerian Students to plagiarism
This paper is about the pilot to a much larger study of student plagiarism in Nigerian Higher Education Institution (NHEI) which is an extension to the IPPHEAE (Impact of Plagiarism Policies in Higher Education across Europe) project. The IPPHEAE is a European wide study of thirty-two Higher Education Institutions (HEI) focusing on policies and procedures for the mitigation of plagiarism. level study skills students. An analysis of the findings revealed prior levels of plagiarism awareness, several themes of perceptions and attitude to plagiarism. This pilot study reveals a need for more training on scholarly academic writing for Nigerian students who have come to study in the United Kingdom for the first time. This will help them understand the need to write and cite appropriately and acquire the relevant skills particularly in summarising and paraphrasing which will help them avoid plagiarism. An insight into the awareness, perception and attitude of Nigerian Students to plagiarism
Undergraduate Students’ Understanding of Plagiarism
Zambia Journal of Library & Information Science (ZAJLIS ), ISSN: 2708-2695, 2021
This study examines students’ understanding of plagiarism in universities in Tanzania using the case of Mzumbe University. A single case study design and a mixed approach were employed. The study population of 211 students pursuing education programmes was involved, and a sample of 72 students was obtained using stratified and purposive sampling techniques. Data obtained was analysed using SPSS and the content analysis technique. Results revealed little understanding of what constitutes plagiarism by 57 (79%) of the total respondents. Major forms of plagiarism identified by respondents were source-based 27 (38%), and direct plagiarism 20 (28%). Causes of plagiarism pinpointed by respondents were laziness 52 (71.6%), poor time management 43 (59.7%), difficult assignments 53 (73.6%), and unawareness of penalties associated with plagiarism 38 (51.8%). This study recommends that all undergraduate works should be subjected to plagiarism check, the University should develop a plagiarism policy, and that plagiarism is taught as a topic to students.
PLAGIARISM: A PERSPECTIVE FROM A CASE OF A NORTHERN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITY
Academic dishonesty, especially plagiarism, is a global problem that has bedevilled the academia. It is regarded as unethical and immoral intellectual thievery that could negatively impact on not only the repute of an academic institution, but the prosperity of a society. This study was designed to investigate student’s awareness and indulgence in plagiarism and their perception of punishment towards Plagiarists. Towards this end, a sampling survey approach employing questionnaires and interviews was used to collect data from a total of 200 Gombe State University students (Nigeria). The result of the interviews showed that 90% of students have plagiarized at one time in the past, 68% have included textbooks and other sources in the bibliography of assignments, out of which 50% had written books that they didn’t even consult. The data from questionnaires showed that the proportion of students whose awareness of plagiarism was partial (63%) and those completely unaware (20%) were higher than those (17%) aware of it. Further, the data showed that the majority of students plagiarize from the Internet (90%) and when asked about whether it would be fair to punish Plagiarists, 42% of students disagreed. Generally, this appears to confirm other reports about the incidence of plagiarism in the academia and pinpoints under awareness as its major cause. Hence, this calls for a campaign to increase students’ awareness of plagiarism and its ethical and moral implications; the need for plagiarism detection tools and development of more strict measures for Plagiarists.
Undergraduate plagiarism: a pedagogical perspective
Student plagiarism is a pervasive and increasing problem at all levels of study in tertiary institutions. This study attempted explicitly and implicitly to address issues of plagiarism within the broad context of an academic writing framework in tutorials in a first-year module at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. Despite these interventions, a quarter of the students were judged to have plagiarised in an essay assignment. The study revealed little deliberate intention to deceive but instead poor understanding of both technical matters such as correct referencing norms that had been addressed in the module and higher-order issues such as writing as process, knowledge as constructed and the establishment of authorial voice through language and referencing. Lack of real engagement with plagiarism and referencing issues was also a problem, with certain groups of students being more at risk in terms of committing plagiarism than others. It is argued that, particularly in a demographically diverse society, acquiring values, attitudes, norms, beliefs and practices that help prevent plagiarism should be viewed as a long-term and iterative process.
Perception of and Attitudes towards Plagiarism among Graduate Students in Ghana
Library Philosophy and Practice, 2021
This study investigated students' perception of plagiarism, sources of information on plagiarism, attitude towards plagiarism, reasons for acts of plagiarism and knowledge of the consequences of plagiarism. A quantitative approach was used. Data was gathered using survey from a sample size of 319 graduate students of University of Ghana, selected using the stratified sampling technique. The main data collection instrument was the questionnaire and the data were analysed descriptively. Findings showed a universal awareness of plagiarism with lecturers as their major source of information. Students generally had a basic understanding of the concept of plagiarism but have broadened the concept of plagiarism to encompass other forms of academic dishonesty. Although they believed they have control over plagiarism, they still plagiarized. Reasons for plagiarising included poor academic writing skills, laziness, lack of time management skills, poor understanding of plagiarism, ease of downloading other people's work from the Internet and pressure to succeed. The study creates awareness of plagiarism and its consequences, and facilitates increased knowledge, and understanding of the subject among students. It also adds to knowledge and serves as an additional source of reference to researchers and students in this area of study.
2021
The extent of plagiarism has been rising globally and many universities are trying hard to eradicate this practice. The challenge is being exacerbated by the availability of information due to technological advancements such as the Internet. Researchers and students become exposed to too much information but sometimes disregard the copyright and intellectual issues surrounding use of such. This exposure has contributed to the rise in plagiarism. Students at universities have had difficulties in understanding plagiarism and avoiding it. While most effort has been on designing detection tools and punitive measures, there has been little research on why students practice plagiarism particularly in countries such as Zimbabwe. This study aims at finding out the main reasons behind plagiarism. The study was carried out at Bindura University of Science Education, a university in Zimbabwe, Southern Africa. A qualitative approach was taken. Data was gathered through use of Document Analysis ...
Students’ Experience of Institutional Interventions On Plagiarism: Nigerian Case (Pg 54 - 69)
Abstract: In the last ten years, there has been much research into academic integrity with a focus on plagiarism in developed countries. There is still a dearth of such research in developing countries like Nigeria. This paper presents the results from a larger exploratory study on student plagiarism in Nigerian Higher Education Institution of Learning (Nigerian universities), which is associated with the Impact of Plagiarism Policies in Higher Education Across Europe (IPPHEAE) project. It seeks to contribute to the body of knowledge by focusing on the experiences of previous institutional interventions on student plagiarism issues and their impact on student experience when they study elsewhere. Nigerian students studying abroad had to adapt to diverse teaching, learning and assessment styles under a different institutional system. This resulted in the students struggling when they had to apply skills they had not acquired during their previous study. This study adopted a mixed method approach; 25 Nigerian Postgraduate Students studying in a United Kingdom University were interviewed for the qualitative data and 171 IPPHEAE student questionnaires were completed for the quantitative data. Results from the data suggest that the previous institutional system experienced by the students was quite different from what they met in their present institutions of study in England. As a result, the students struggled to cope with their studies when they had to apply skills they had not acquired.
The complex concept of plagiarism: Undergraduate and postgraduate student perspectives
Perspectives in Education, 2021
The prevalence of plagiarism in university students' academic writing is well documented. Its complex and multifaceted nature has made it difficult to reduce or manage. The literature reveals a lack of significant understanding of plagiarism and related concepts to be due to a poor or an absence of education, and it advocates for extensive and explicit education in what constitutes plagiarism at higher education level. In this review article we explore the literature on undergraduate and postgraduate student perspectives of plagiarism and related concepts in a global context. These perspectives are discussed under the following themes: students' understanding of plagiarism and related literacy practices such as referencing, the reasons contributing to why students plagiarise intentionally or unintentionally, students' understandings and views of the seriousness of plagiarism and students' views on how to curb plagiarism. We believe that through a deeper understanding of students' perspectives of plagiarism, we could start to develop an all-encompassing strategy to deal with plagiarism at university level.