PERCEPTION OF PLAGIARISM AND FRAUD IN EDUCATION

Kees van Noortwijk, Richard V. De Mulder

Abstract

Plagiarism and fraud by students have increased considerably in the past decade. Information technology plays an important role here, because it provides techniques that make it possible to copy text, images and other materials almost effortlessly. Educational institutions are aware of this, and try to halt it. The problem of monitoring and dealing with fraud and plagiarism is a matter of perception in two respects:
1. it is often difficult to identify fraudulent student papers because of the large scale and intelligent techniques for cheating, and
2. students who are blamed of plagiarism often claim a different perception or qualification of their acts.
Information technology can play a role in identifying plagiarism and fraud. There are a number of computer programs in existence that will check large numbers of documents to do exactly that. Conventional measures as well as effective anti-fraud policies remain necessary as students often do not perceive their actions as illegal or unethical, or use their own “perception” as an excuse.

Keywords

plagiarism, similarity, perception of fraud

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IMEKO-TC1-TC7-2008-058.pdf

DOI

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IMEKO TC

TC1 - Education and Training in Measurement and Instrumentation

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