ERIC Number: EJ1143987
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2222-1735
EISSN: N/A
Plagiarism under a Magnifying-Glass
Starovoytova, Diana
Journal of Education and Practice, v8 n15 p109-129 2017
This paper embodies the findings from a small part, of a larger study on plagiarism, at the School of Engineering (SOE). The study is a cross-sectional survey, conducted in an institutional setting. 15 senior academic members of staff (N = 15), from SOE were invited to complete a questionnaire. The questioner was pre-tested, to ensure its validity and reliability. A trial survey (pre-testing) was conducted, according to ISO 20252:2006 (E). The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS-17, version 22) computer software program was used, to compute the Cronbach's alpha coefficient, which demonstrated high inter-item consistency, and, therefore, reliability (Cronbach's a = 0.803). Descriptive statistics was used, to analyze, both; qualitative and quantitative data. The main findings of the study, revealed that, the majority (60%) of the respondents alleged, that plagiarism was never mentioned or explained, to them, at "any" level; Overwhelming majority, (90%) agreed that plagiarism is unfair to the original author and to the colleagues; The vast majority, (90%) also claimed that they never plagiarized, while 10% confessed that they did it one or two times, in the past; majority (70%) also agreed, that plagiarism is unfair to oneself; and 60% agreed, it is unfair to the university. The analysis of the plagiarism, from the faculty perspective, was balanced, by the rigorous coverage, of the following issues: Historical background; Plagiarism extent; Quantification, for plagiarism; Consequences of plagiarism: Retraction of publications, with selected global illustrative examples; Publishing process: main actors and their roles, in dealing with plagiarism; Combating plagiarism, including detection and punishment; and Plagiarism, as just a tiny fraction of scientific misconduct; among others. This study also provides few recommendations, on how to improve the current situation, in the absence of official institutional Plagiarism Policy. The findings, alongside with the theoretical coverage, will, expectantly, make a contribution (in its small way), toward the body of knowledge, on the subject.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Plagiarism, Engineering Education, College Faculty, Questionnaires, Statistical Analysis, Teacher Attitudes, Knowledge Level, Teacher Responsibility, Ethics, Cheating, Writing for Publication, Teacher Behavior
IISTE. No 1 Central, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong SAR. Tel: +852-39485948; e-mail: JEP@iiste.org; Web site: http://iiste.org/Journals/index.php/JEP
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Kenya
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A