Plagiarism and Ethical Issues

Eunjoo Oh1

1 Kyungil University

Department of Library and Information Science

eoh1@hanmail.net

Abstract. The purposes of this study were to explore the current status about

plagiarism, focusing on the college student classroom activities. In order to

achieve the study goals, the survey was conducted and students’ works were

compared with the web resources.

Keywords: Plagiarism, Internet Ethics, Information

1 Introduction

Information technology has brought about tremendous development of the society in

diverse fields. In particular, information related works such as creating, editing,

disseminating, and using information become common and easy activities and it

became one of the normal activities. Every day, a great deal of information is created

and perished at the same time. When information is created, it is quickly disseminated

through the network and easily reproduced as different information. The net-based

environments made it possible and the ability to utilize the information technology

tools is one of the most essential competencies in this order. On the other hand, it is

true that this environment keeps causing serious societal problems such as online

illegal activities and ethical problems [1].

The problems often occur because people are not aware that the properties in the

cyber space belong to someone [3]. In the cyberspace, there is a tendency that ethical

awareness or consequences become weak because the space is not considered a real

world. According to Choo [5], since there is not any direct contact between the users

and people feel distance from each other. In this condition, illegal and immoral

activities such as using other people’s intellectual properties without permission and

violating communication laws can easily occur. Nowadays, the copyright these kinds

of illegal activities become serious problems in our society.

1.1 Problem Statement

As the illegal activities in the cyber space increases, higher education institutions put

special efforts to strengthen the information ethics education. Since students tend to

use information in the Internet for the assignments or studies without any

consciousness as their own, many colleges try to educate the students by offering the

class about the proper use of information and copyright laws. However, many studies

Advanced Science and Technology Letters Vol.119 (Psychology and Counseling 2015), pp.78-81

http://dx.doi.org/10.14257/astl.2015.119.17

ISSN: 2287-1233 ASTL Copyright © 2015 SERSC

[2] still present that students do not know how to use the Internet resources properly

and illegal activities and cybercrimes are getting diverse and serious. Plagiarism is

particularly a big problem in campus.

1.2 Purposes of the Study

The purposes of this study are to explore the current status about plagiarism on

campus and find out the reason why how students plagiarize the works. The study

attempts to suggest the effective ways to reduce such academic illegal activities based

on the study results. In order to achieve the study goals, three research questions

suggested as follows; (1) what is the status of plagiarism on campus? (2) why is the

reason for the plagiarism? (3) what are the students’ perceptions of plagiarism?

2 Research Methods

Plagiarism inspections were conducted with the students’ works and survey was

conducted with the college students. Plagiarism inspections were conducted with two

classes that are currently offered in the college. During the class time, the instructor

gave students two hours to write as reports about a certain topic in the computer room

and asked them to upload to the LMS. After class, the students’ works were compared

with the web resources. The online survey instrument was developed by the instructor

and conducted with the college students. Total 163 college students participated in the

survey.

3 Research Results

3.1 Current status of plagiarism

According to the data, 127students (77%) responded to have experiences with

plagiarism in somehow out of the total 149students. When analyzing the ways of

plagiarism, 85students (51.5%) students answered to download or copy internet

resources, 66students (40%) answered to copy other people’s work, and 57students

(28%) answered to copy books or printed materials.

Table 1. Experiences with Plagiarism.

Responses No. Percent

Yes 127 77%

No 22 23%

Advanced Science and Technology Letters Vol.119 (Psychology and Counseling 2015)

Copyright © 2015 SERSC 79

Table 2. The Ways of Plagiarism

Ways Number Percent

Copy other people’s work 66 40%

Download internet resources 85 51,5%

Copy books or printed materials 57 34.5%

Purchasing the report online 28 17%

When analyzing the students’ works, out of the total 29 students, there were 3

students who submitted the same report and three students who copied the web same

website.

2.1 Reasons of Plagiarism

When analyzing the reasons, 86 students (52.1%) copy the works when the

assignments are difficult and 76 students (46.1%) did that when do not have enough

time to finish the assignments.

Table 3. Reasons of Plagiarism.

Reasons No. Percent

Assignments were difficult 86 52.1%

Do not feel the necessities to do the assignments 19 11.5%

Do not have time 76 46.1%

Professors do not recognize the copied work 24 14.5%

Everybody does it 27 40% Plagiarism is not wrong 1 0.6%

3.3 Students’ Perceptions of Plagiarism

When analyzing the perceptions, 99 students (60%) thought that it is a personal matter

that individuals have to make a decision. 72 students (43.6%) answered that it should

be stopped because it is not ethical and 50 students (30.3%) answered that they can do

it when there is not enough time to submit the assignments on time.

Table 4. Perceptions of Plagiarism.

Reasons No. Percent

It should stopped because it is ethically wrong 72 43.6%

It is not a problem because everybody does it. 4 2.4%

When the assignment cannot be submitted on time, it can

happen.

50 30.3%

It is fine to do because professors do not care about it. 11 6.7%

It is a personal matter. 99 60%

Never thought about it. 4 2.4%

Advanced Science and Technology Letters Vol.119 (Psychology and Counseling 2015)

80 Copyright © 2015 SERSC

5 Conclusion

This study explores the current status and students perceptions of plagiarism in higher

education institutions. According to the study, most students (77%) had experiences

with plagiarism and it is shown that the most students copy or download or internet

resources, for their assignments. They also copy other people’s work or copy books or

printed materials. Regarding such behaviors, the students tend to think as personal

matters that individuals have to make a decision by themselves. Even they answered

that it can happen when there not enough time to finish the assignment on time. Based

on the results, the study suggests to implement information ethics related classes in to

the college curriculum as a required class.

References

1. Kang. S.H.: Comparison of Behavioral Changes of the College Students after Internet Ethics

Class. Journal of Computer Education. 16 (43-50)

2. Kim. S.C., Han. J.T.: Research on Internet Ethics about Medical Students. Journal of

Computer Education. 17, 147-145 (2013)

3. Kim. K.H., Kim. T.W.: Intentions of Breaking the Copyright Law of the Digital Properties.

Journal of Computer Education. 16 (63-71)

4. Choo. B. W.: Moral Deviation in Online and Inter Ethics. Ethics Education. 87, 119-141

(2012)

5. Seo. Y. K.: Students’ Perceptions of Plagiarism. Women Study. 22. 113-130 (2007)

Advanced Science and Technology Letters Vol.119 (Psychology and Counseling 2015)

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