Academic Integrity

Brian Horner

Kelly Belk

MSM 511: Introduction to Graduate Education

6 March 2010

Dr. David Presti, a professor from the University of California at Berkley, shared how he had decided to use plagiarism screening website to confirm his suspicions of student’s dishonesty when it comes to term papers. The first time he did, his suspicions were proven correct when 45 of 320 students had plagiarized at least part of the work they had claimed to be their own. He went on to discuss how nearly 15 percent of his students had plagiarized even after they were informed that their papers would be subjected to computerized plagiarism screening. One of those students went as far to take the entire paper from sources on the internet (New York Times).

In spite instructors’ efforts to curb the issue, academic dishonesty is a prevalent and reoccurring issue at the high school and college level. Students, both men and women, are using various methods to commit acts of academic dishonesty regardless of consequences they face.

The prevalence of academic dishonesty has become commonplace in America’s schools. A survey states that as many as 80 percent of top high-school students admitting to cheating on at least one exam (Bushweller, 5). These are America’s future top executives, politicians and leaders. One out of every two children surveyed said cheating “didn’t seem like a big deal” (Bushweller, 5). What’s more are 95 percent of those who admitted to cheating say they never got caught.

The literature on cheating among college and high school students has shown that it is widespread and growing (McCabe, 681). Academic dishonesty is on the rise, where reports state a cheating rate has risen steadily from 23% in 1941, 38% in 1952, 49% in 1960, 64% in 1964, and 76% in 1980 (Davis, et. al, 16). It’s a growing concern, yet because of more serious crimes like violence and drugs, it’s getting less attention (Bushweller, 5).

More than 90 percent of students know it is wrong to...