Motivators for student academic dishonesty at a medium sized university in Alberta, Canada: Faculty and student perspectives
Keywords:
Canada, Alberta, Focus Group Interviews, Thematic Analysis, Student Perspectives, Faculty Perspectives, Motivation, academic misconductAbstract
Academic misconduct describes a complex set of behaviours with many reported motivating factors. However, most research investigating the motivating factors behind academic misconduct has been conducted on American college students. To assess academic misconduct at our mid-sized university in Alberta, Canada, we conducted focus groups with students and faculty to further explore the motivational factors underlying academic misconduct. We conducted a thematic analysis on the interview responses in which two thematic categories of motivations arose: dispositional (or psychological) factors and situational (or contextual) factors. Both student and faculty participants reported a variety of motivating factors for academic misconduct, including but not limited to dispositional aspects, such as attitudes concerning academic misconduct or a lack of understanding, as well as contextual factors, such as taking a full course load and familial pressure. However, unlike their American counterparts, our participants did not discuss the impact that their peers have on motivating academic misconduct. We add our results to the growing body of research which focuses on identifying and analyzing Canadian trends in academic misconduct research.
References
Adam, L. (2016). Student perspectives on plagiarism. In Bretag, Tracey (Ed.), Handbook of academic integrity, 519-536. https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2F978-981-287-098-8.pdf#page=535
Aljurf, S., Kemp, L. J., & Williams, P. (2020). Exploring academic dishonesty in the Middle East: A qualitative analysis of students’ perceptions. Studies in Higher Education, 45(7), 1461-1473. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2018.1564262
Blum, S. D. (2016). What it means to be a student today. In Bretag, Tracey (Ed.), Handbook of academic integrity, 383-406.
Bokosmaty, S., Ehrich, J., Eady, M. J., & Bell, K. (2019). Canadian university students’ gendered attitudes toward plagiarism. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 43(2), 276-290. https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2017.1359505
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative research in psychology, 3(2), 77-101.
Bretag, T., Harper, R., Burton, M., Ellis, C., Newton, P., Rozenberg, P., Saddiqui, S., & van Haeringen, K. (2019). Contract cheating: a survey of Australian university students. Studies in Higher Education, 44(11), 1837-1856. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2018.1462788
Brimble, M. (2016). Why students cheat: An exploration of the motivators of student academic Dishonesty in Higher Education. In Bretag, Tracey (Ed.), Handbook of Academic Integrity (pp. 365-382). Springer Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-098-8_58
Christensen Hughes, J. M., & McCabe, D. L. (2006). Academic misconduct within higher education in Canada. Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 36(2), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.47678/cjhe.v36i2.183537
Clarke, V., & Braun, V. (2013). Teaching thematic analysis: Overcoming challenges and developing strategies for effective learning. The Psychologist, 26(2), 120-123.
DeVoss, D., & Rosati, A. C. (2002). “It wasn’t me, was it?” Plagiarism and the web. Computers and Composition, 19(2), 191-203.
Eaton, S. E. (2020). An inquiry into major academic integrity violations in Canada: 2010-2019. Calgary, AB: University of Calgary. http://hdl.handle.net/1880/111483
Eaton, S. E., & Edino, R. I. (2018). Strengthening the research agenda of educational integrity in Canada: A review of the research literature and call to action. International Journal for Educational Integrity, 14(1), Article 5. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40979-018-0028-7
Fishman, T. (2016). Academic integrity as an educational concept, concern, and movement in US institutions of higher learning. In Bretag, Tracey (Ed.), Handbook of academic integrity, 7-21.
Gallant, T. B., & Drinan, P. (2008). Toward a model of academic integrity institutionalization: Informing practice in postsecondary education. Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 38(2), 25-43. https://doi.org/10.47678/cjhe.v38i2.508
Genereux, R. L., & McLeod, B. A. (1995). Circumstances surrounding cheating: A questionnaire study of college students. Research in Higher Education, 36(6), 687-704. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02208251
Giluk, T. L., & Postlethwaite, B. E. (2015). Big Five personality and academic dishonesty: A meta-analytic review. Personality and Individual Differences, 72, 59-67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2014.08.027
Heider, F. (1958). The psychology of interpersonal relations. New Jersey: LEA. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/10628-000
Jurdi, R., Hage, H. S., & Chow, H. P. H. (2011). Academic dishonesty in the Canadian classroom: Behaviours of a sample of university students. Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 41(3), 1-35. https://doi.org/10.47678/cjhe.v41i3.2488
Jurdi, R., Hage, H. S., & Chow, H. P. H. (2012). What behaviours do students consider academically dishonest? Findings from a survey of Canadian undergraduate students. Social Psychology of Education, 15(1), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-011-9166-y
Kidd, P. S., & Parshall, M. B. (2000). Getting the focus and the group: enhancing analytical rigor in focus group research. Qualitative Health Research, 10(3), 293-308. https://doi.org/10.1177/104973200129118453
Krueger, R. A. (2014). Focus groups: A practical guide for applied research. SAGE.
Lee, S. D., Kuncel, N. R., & Gau, J. (2020). Personality, attitude, and demographic correlates of academic dishonesty: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 146(11), 1042-1058. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000300
Lewis, N. P., & Zhong, B. (2011). The personality of plagiarism. Journalism & Mass Communication Educator, 66(4), 325-339. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F107769581106600403
MacLeod, P. D., & Eaton, S. E. (2020). The paradox of faculty attitudes toward student violations of academic integrity. Journal of Academic Ethics, 18(4), 347-362. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10805-020-09363-4
McCabe, D. (2016). Cheating and honor: Lessons from a long-term research project. In Bretag, Tracey (Ed.), Handbook of academic integrity, 187-198. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-098-8_35
McCabe, D. L. (1992). The influence of situational ethics on cheating among college students. Sociological Inquiry, 62(3), 365-374. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-682X.1992.tb00287.x
McCabe, D. L., Butterfield, K. D., & Trevino, L. K. (2012). Cheating in college: Why students do it and what educators can do about it. JHU Press.
McCabe, D. L., & Trevino, L. K. (1997). Individual and contextual influences on academic dishonesty: A multicampus investigation. Research in Higher Education, 38(3), 379-396. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024954224675
McCabe, D. L., Treviño, L. K., & Butterfield, K. D. (2001). Cheating in academic institutions: A decade of research. Ethics &Behavior, 11(3), 219-232. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327019EB1103_2
McCabe, D. L., & Pavela, G. (2004). Ten (updated) principles of academic integrity: How faculty can foster student honesty. Change, 36(3), 10-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/00091380409605574
Menon, M. K., & Sharland, A. (2011). Narcissism, exploitative attitudes, and academic dishonesty: An exploratory investigation of reality versus myth. Journal of Education for Business, 86(1), 50-55. https://doi.org/10.1080/08832321003774772
Miller, A. D., Murdock, T. B., & Grotewiel, M. M. (2017). Addressing academic dishonesty among the highest achievers. Theory Into Practice, 56(2), 121-128.
Minarcik, J., & Bridges, A. J. (2015). Psychology graduate students weigh in: Qualitative analysis of academic dishonesty and suggestion prevention strategies. Journal of Academic Ethics, 13(2), 197-216. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10805-015-9230-x
Newton, P. (2016). Academic integrity: A quantitative study of confidence and understanding in students at the start of their higher education. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 41(3), 482-497. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2015.1024199
Nilsson, L. -E. (2016). Technology as a double-edged sword: A promise yet to be fulfilled or a vehicle for cheating. In Bretag, Tracey (Ed.), Handbook of academic integrity, 607-623. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-079-7_21-2
NVivo, Q. S. R. (2018). NVivo qualitative data analysis software.
Peled, Y., Eshet, Y., Barczyk, C., & Grinautski, K. (2019). Predictors of academic dishonesty among undergraduate students in online and face-to-face courses. Computers & Education, 131, 49-59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2018.05.012
Plummer, P. (2017). Focus group methodology. Part 1: Design considerations. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 24(7), 297-301. https://doi.org/10.12968/ijtr.2017.24.7.297
Rettinger, D. A., & Kramer, Y. (2009). Situational and personal causes of student cheating. Research in Higher Education, 50(3), 293-313. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-008-9116-5
Rundle, K., Curtis, G. J., & Clare, J. (2019). Why students do not engage in contract cheating. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, Article 2229. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02229
Sim, J. (1998). Collecting and analysing qualitative data: Issues raised by the focus group. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 28(2), 345-52. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2648.1998.00692.x
Simkin, M. G., & McLeod, A. (2010). Why do college students cheat. Journal of Business Ethics, 94(3), 441-453. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-009-0275-x
Stephens, J. M. (2017). How to cheat and not feel guilty: Cognitive dissonance and its amelioration in the domain of academic dishonesty. Theory Into Practice, 56(2), 111-120. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405841.2017.1283571
Stewart, D. W., & Shamdasani, P. N. (2014). Focus groups: Theory and practice. SAGE.
Teodorescu, D., & Andrei, T. (2009). Faculty and peer influences on academic integrity: College cheating in Romania. Higher Education, 57(3), 267-282. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-008-9143-3
Vandehey, M. M. A., Diekhoff, G., & LaBeff, E. (2007). College cheating: A twenty-year follow-up and the addition of an honor code. Journal of College Student Development, 48(4), 468-480. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2007.0043
Watson, G. R., & Sottile, J. (2010). Cheating in the digital age: Do students cheat more in online courses. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 13(1), Retrieved from http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/spring131/watson131.html
Weiner, B. (1985). An attributional theory of achievement motivation and emotion. Psychological Review, 92(4), 548. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.92.4.548
Whitley, B. E. (1998). Factors associated with cheating among college students: A review. Research in Higher Education, 39(3), 235-274. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018724900565
Wideman, M. (2011). Caring or collusion? Academic dishonesty in a school of nursing. Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 41(2), 28-43. https://doi.org/10.47678/cjhe.v41i2.2298
Wilks, D. C., Cruz, J. N., & Sousa, P. (2016). Personality traits and plagiarism: An empirical study with Portuguese undergraduate students. Journal of Academic Ethics, 14(3), 231-241. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10805-016-9261-y