Kathia Mojica Mendoza

First Year Experience

3/31/2024
Plagiarism and Academic Integrity
Academic dishonesty affects all areas of higher education and beyond. You will consider the following in
planning to avoid academic dishonesty:

Motivations

What are some underlying motivations or reasons why individuals may resort to academic dishonesty
and plagiarism?

How might personal, cultural, or situational factors influence their decision-making in this regard?

Sometimes, students cheat or copy because college can be really tough. They might find the subjects
hard, feel like they have to do super well, or just not have enough time. And when things get tough, they
might not realize how serious cheating is or think it's no big deal because others do it too.

Personal stuff like feeling bad about yourself or having a hard time with mental health can also make it
harder to do well in our academic lives. Different cultures also have different ideas about cheating and
how important it is to do well at any cost, which can affect what students think is okay.

When exams are super important or assignments are really hard, it can make students feel desperate for
help. So, they might copy someone's homework or even copy an entire thesis because they're running
out of time.

But cheating doesn't really solve the problem. It might seem like a quick fix, but it can cause big
problems later on. It can mess up your grades and stop you from learning properly. So, it's really
important to understand why students cheat and try to stop it by making sure everyone knows it's not
okay and helping students when they're struggling.

Technology

How has the evolution of technology impacted the landscape of academic integrity today?

What are some specific challenges and opportunities that arise from the use of technology in the context
of academic integrity?

Technology has changed a lot about how we learn and find information. It's made it easy to get lots of
info quickly, thanks to the internet and AI. But sometimes, having everything so accessible can make it
tempting to just copy and paste stuff instead of doing our own work. This is a big problem, especially
with online learning, where it's easier to cheat during tests and quizzes.

There are also tools out there, like paraphrasing software, that are meant to help us understand
information better, but some people end up using them to cheat by copying stuff without giving credit.
Also, while technology has made it easier to cheat, it's also made it easier for teachers to catch cheaters,
by creating special filters for AI content, for example.

In addition to that, there are tools like plagiarism checkers that can quickly compare our work to stuff
online to make sure we're not copying; however, I personally think that we have to create an
environment in which we can have the space to develop our critical thinking, which is a very important
piece of achievement in academic life.
Effects

What effects does academic dishonesty have on all parties involved?

Professors

The College/University

Higher Education in General

Society

Academic dishonesty, like cheating and copying, affects everyone in the education world. Let's see how
it impacts different groups:

For teachers, it's disheartening. They put in a lot of effort to help students learn and grow. But when
students cheat, it makes them wonder if their teaching methods are effective or if students are really
interested in learning. For example, a teacher might think about whether their lessons truly inspire
students or if they're just looking for an easy way out.

Colleges also suffer when students cheat. They have a reputation to keep up, and cheating makes them
look bad. It's harder for them to attract good students, teachers, and money. If people don't trust the
school, it's tough for them to provide a good education.

When cheating becomes common, it's bad for higher education in general. People start to doubt if
degrees are really worth anything. They wonder if students are being taught the skills they need for jobs.
It's like questioning the whole point of going to college.

Cheating doesn't just stay in school—it affects society too. When students graduate without the right
knowledge, businesses have trouble finding qualified workers. This hurts innovation and makes it harder
for companies to provide good services. Plus, if cheating is okay in school, what message does that send
to kids? It's not a good example to set.

Overall, cheating messes up the whole purpose of education and causes problems for everyone
involved. Teachers, schools, and society need to work together to stop it and make sure everyone plays
fair.

So, while technology has made it tougher to keep things honest in school, it's also given us ways to catch
cheaters and make sure everyone is playing fair. It's up to teachers and schools to use these tools wisely
to keep things fair for everyone.

Solutions

What are some preventative measures the stakeholders above can take to decrease acts of academic
dishonesty?

Reducing cheating in school needs everyone to work together. Here's what each group can do:

Professors are really important in stopping cheating. They can give assignments that encourage students
to think for themselves, like asking them to do presentations or answer tricky questions. Talking to
students about why cheating is wrong and what happens if they get caught can also help. Creating a
supportive environment where students feel valued and trusted can make them less likely to cheat. For
example, a teacher might talk about why it's important to do your own work and share stories about
people who got in trouble for cheating.

Colleges also need to make it clear that cheating is not okay. They can have strict rules about cheating
and make sure everyone knows what happens if they break them. Providing extra help like tutoring or
teaching students how to cite sources properly can give them the tools they need to succeed honestly.
Using tools to check for plagiarism or stop students from working together unfairly can also stop
cheating before it happens.

In the bigger picture of education, it's important for everyone to share ideas and strategies for stopping
cheating. Leaders in education can help by bringing schools together to talk about what works and what
doesn't. By working together, schools can come up with better ways to keep students honest.

Even outside of school, parents and others in the community can help. They can teach kids that being
honest and working hard is more important than getting good grades. By setting a good example and
showing that honesty matters, they can help shape kids who do the right thing, even when it's hard.

In the end, stopping cheating in school is something we all need to take seriously. By working together,
we can create a school environment where everyone can succeed honestly and feel proud of their
achievements.