1

INTERNET USE AND PLAGIARISM: A STUDY OF NNAMDI

AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY LECTURERS

Abstract
The usefulness and importance of the internet cannot be overemphasized. But
it has some negative sides as it is seen to have been the cause of the high
level of academic unprofessionalism in most Nigerian Universities. This
research work studied Nnamdi Azikiwe lecturers on internet use and
plagiarism. The study had a non-probabilistic choice population of 98
lectures and a sample size of 50 lecturers. The study found out that all the
lecturers are computer literate, they use the Internet as a research source and
that the Internet use in research has increased the level of plagiarism.

INTRODUCTION
In an age when improvement in technology brought one of the best
developments in the world, which is the Internet, research has become a lot
easier for researchers (students, teachers, doctors, engineers etc.).
Researchers who have access to the internet are exposed to a plethora of
information on the web which enable them make proper findings for their
research works. Even as they make the findings and write, they upload such
works (their findings) online, thereby adding to the uncountable number of
written works on the internet.
Harris (2004, p.4) notes that Plagiarism is using another persons words or
ideas without giving credit to the other person. When you use someone elses
words, you must put a quotation around them and give the author or writer
credit by revealing a citation. As writers make research, it is expected they
will not plagiarize by not; turning in other peoples works as their own,
copying words or ideas without giving credit, failing to put a quotation in
quotation marks, giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation,
copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit, copying so
many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of their
work whether giving credit or not, etc. (www.du.ac.in/.../06122014turnitin-).
The big question is, have researchers done some, if not all the do-nots listed
above? Onuoha and Nkechi (2013), and Yusuf (2006) provide the answer as
they agree that some researchers do so. And this work is set to finding out if
internet use in researching has increased the level of plagiarism among
academics in Nnamdi Azikiwe University.
LITERATURE REVIEW
The Internet has been widely embraced and welcomed all over the world
among the developed and developing countries. As it is used in our homes,
Schools and society at large, it has made some information a few clicks away.
In the contemporary world, information is an important ingredient to success.
And the saying that information is power is true and effective in every sector
where humans thrive and pursue their different goals towards making a
living. Ogunrewo and Odusina (2010, p. 380) say availability of the right

information at the right time can make all the difference between failure and
success in all levels of human endeavours. In fact, the Internet plays a major
role in the lives of people. Every aspect of our day to day life is affected by
the Internet. Whether it is shopping, business, banking, communication,
paying bills, social gathering, partying, learning, education etc. Internet is
everywhere, knocking at our door, making our life easier and smooth.
Moreover, when it comes to education and research, Internet is paving way
for a great leap and sure library and information centers (Aqiul and Ahmed
2011). With the Internet, information concerning every aspect of our lives is
on our finger tips.
In an attempt to appraise Internet usage among academic staff of Joseph Ayo
Babolola University, Ogunrewo and Odusina (2010) opine that, the slogan
publish or perish has become popular and a reality among the academics.
That the idea of publish or perish has encouraged the academics to go on
research and get scientific, useful information through the internet or visit the
library that is capable of providing access to various data bases and online
journals or materials that help researchers write and publish. In the findings
of their work, they reveal that more academic members indicated that they
had access to the net and had at least three years of exposure to the net. And
the mostly used means through which they surf the net is through their own
personal computers. This suggests a high use of the Internet by the
University academics through their personal computers to access materials
they use in writing and publishing their works (Anyira, 2011and Oghuvwu,
2010).
As these researchers (lecturers) write and publish, they upload their works
online thereby making their works available and accessible for other
researchers. Thus, Manir (2008) says that the use of the Internet for the
exchange of research materials gives rise to the concept of electronic
resource sharing. This has reduced the shortage of information resources in
Nigeria and consequently increased the output of research publications. He
writes that the internet has provided Nigerian scholars, researchers,
individuals, and institutions with an opportunity to present their ideas,
research findings and also as an alternative for publishing materials. Nget'ch

(2003, p.11) asserts that electronic publishing on the Internet has provided a
greater opportunity for scholars and researchers to publish and present their
ideas and research findings.
But the surplus availability of journals and books that are accessible through
the internet and the researchers laziness has increased the level of plagiarism
in Nigerian Universities. Onuoha and Nkechi (2013, p.102) in their work
titled dealing the plague of plagiarism in Nigeria say the term plagiarism has
received much attention in recent times as incidents of plagiarism seem to be
on the increase. With the advent of the Internet, information is more easily
accessible without geographical constraints; hence researchers can now lay
their hands on documents in any part of the world. Unegbu, Ikonne, Onuoha
and Madukoma simply explain plagiarism as an academic dishonesty which
has gained recent attention due to what some authors refer to as cut and
paste nature of the Internet. In their effort to examine plagiarism in higher
institutions, they write citing Saint, Harnett and Strassner (2003) who affirm
that incidents of plagiarism concerning academics adorn pages of Nigerian
newspapers, and also Enogholase (2008), who reports about the suspension
of a dean of the faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Benin over
allegation of plagiarism. Students are even guiltier of this crime as the copy
write works the get online when writing their assignments and term-papers
(Olutola 2014).
Plagiarism is an act of academic dishonesty and a theft or fraud because it
involves copying another persons work without recognizing him or her. In so
many countries the expression of original ideas is considered intellectual
property and is protected by copy right laws (turnitin.com and research
resources). In Nigeria, infringement of the copy right law is a punishable
offence. Ali (www.yusufali.net//the Nigeria), in his overview of the copy
right act, states that An infringement of the rights conferred by section 9 of
this Act is actionable as a breach of statutory duty owned to the person
entitled to the right. In proceedings for infringement of the rights conferred
by the said section 9 of this Act, the person whose rights have been infringed
shall be entitled to an award of damages, injunction and any other remedies
as the court may deem fit to award in the circumstance. There are different

reports of Lecturers who were severely punished by being dismissed from the
Universities where the lecture due to their involvement in plagiarism.
Olatunji on May 22, 2013 writes on Punch Nigeria on publication, that
Federal university of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun state, sacked an associate
Professor and an assistant lecturer over alleged plagiarism.
(www.punchng.com/.../funaab-fires-prof-). Bioreports (an online daily
publication), on May 8, 2013 also reported that the Vice chancellor of
University of Calabar justified the decision of the institution to sack five(5)
lecturers
who
were
found
guilty
of
plagiarism
(www.bioreports.net/.../university-of-calabar-). From Daily Independent
came the report that the Vice Chancellor of University of Uyo said the
institution has turned to softwares to detect cases of plagiarism in
dissertations and theses of post-graduate students and that those found guilty
will be severely punished by the institution (www.pulse.ng/.../it-must-endplagiarism-). And so has the warning bell rung in virtually all the Universities
in Nigeria about the penalties of plagiarism. This work will try to find out if
the use of internet has reduced or increased plagiarism among University
lecturers.
THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK
This work will be anchored on two theories which are; the uses and
gratification theory and the absolutist ethical theory.
The uses and gratification theory: Many research works on uses of the
internet has been anchored in this theory. The theory is also called the
function theory and concentrates on the audience of media usage (Littlejohn,
1992 in Obijiofor, 2009, p. 4). The uses and gratification theory supports the
assumption that audience members actively seek out the mass media to
satisfy their needs. So, the emergence of the Internet and the range of choices
available to those that use it, make the uses and gratification approach very
relevant for this work, which tries to find out if the Internet has encouraged
plagiarism because of the variety of choices (books) gotten from it.
Absolutist theory: This is an ethical theory which presupposes that ones
actions should be right at all times. The theory propounds that good morals

are good and should be accepted by different people across the world.
Okunna (2003, p. 27) in explaining the absolutist theory, opines that a moral
universal is an ethical value or principle that is accepted and adhered by
people all over the world With this, any ethical and un-ethical act should be
praised or condemned everywhere. This is why plagiarism is seriously
frowned at as an act which is un-ethical and attracts punishment in virtually
every country in the world.
STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEM
Recent studies have shown a growing tendency among researchers to
plagiarize, especially from online information sources. This unpleasant
phenomenon has a far- reaching impact on the scientific world and academic
society. It has continued regardless of much campaign against it. The need
therefore arises to study lecturers view towards acts of plagiarism from
Internet sources, and to find out if the Internet has helped in reducing or
increasing the rate of plagiarism.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
The specific objectives of this study were to discover the following:
The level of use of the internet for research purposes by Nnamdi
Azikiwe University lecturers.
The lecturers view on the influence of the Internet on Plagiarism.
The Level of plagiarism among Nnamdi Azikiwe University lecturers.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What is the level of use of the internet for Nnamdi Azikiwe University
lecturers?
2. What are the lecturers views on the influence of the Internet on
plagiarism?

3. What is the level of plagiarism among lecturers of Nnamdi Azikiwe

University?
RESEARCH METHOD
This study used the survey method. The survey method allows the collection
of a large amount of data from a sizeable population in a highly economical
way and often produces results which can be generalized. It is a form of
planned collection of data from humans for the purpose of description,
prediction or for the purpose of analyzing relationships between related
variables.
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
The universe for this study is the lecturers in the fourteen faculties in Nnamdi
Azikiwe University. The researcher made a non-probabilistic choice to arrive
at the population of the study which is the lecturers in the faculty of social
science. And according to faculty officer, they are 98 in number.
SAMPLE SIZE
The sample size used for this study is 50. The researcher chose this number
due to proximity, time factor, and the nature of the study.
SAMPLING TECHNIQUE
The researcher adopted a non-probability sampling method known as
convenience sampling. Convenience sampling method is the most common
of all the sampling methods. It is mostly used for research works where the
respondents or the subjects are accessible to the researcher. It is cheap to
conduct and least time consuming.
RESEARCH INSTRUMENT
Questionnaire was employed for this survey as the research instrument. The
questionnaire was used for this study because it was presumed proper and
convenient for the respondents and the researcher.
METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS

The researcher used SPSS for data analysis in this study. SPSS is the
acronym for statistical package for the social science, it is a software
package used for statistical analysis. The researcher cued-in all his
respondents data and the software did the mathematical analysis.
DATA PRESENTATION
Table 1: Respondents' Sex
Frequency

Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent

36

72.0

72.0

72.0

Valid Female 14

28.0

28.0

100.0

Total

100.0

100.0

Male

50

The table shows that among the 50 respondents of this study, 36(72%) are
male while 14 (28%) are female.

Table 2: Respondents' years in Service

Valid

Frequency

Percent

Valid Percent Cumulative Percent

2-10

16.0

16.0

16.0

10-20

36

72.0

72.0

88.0

20 and above

12.0

12.0

100.0

Total

50

100.0

100.0

Table 2 shows that 8 (16%) of the respondents have 2-10 years of experience,
36 (72%) have 10-20 years of experience as lecturers while 6 (12%) have 20
and above years of experience.
Table 3: Respondents level of computer literacy

Valid

Yes

Frequency Percent

Valid Percent Cumulative Percent

50

100.0

100.0

100.0

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Table 3 shows that all the respondents are computer literate. 50

(100%) of them are computer literate.
Table 4: Respondents that have their personal computers

Valid Yes

Frequency Percent

Valid Percent Cumulative

Percent

50

100.0

100.0

100.0

This table shows that all the respondents have their personal computers. 50
(100%) of them have their personal computers.
Table 5: Respondents that have office Internet facility

Valid

Frequency

Percent

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

No

20

40.0

40.0

40.0

Yes

30

60.0

60.0

100.0

Total

50

100.0

100.0

Table 5 shows that among the 50 respondents, 20 (40%) do not have Internet
facility in their offices, while 30 (60%) have internet facility in their offices.
Table 6: Respondents that have mobile Internet (MODEM)

Valid

Yes

Frequency Percent

Valid Percent Cumulative

Percent

50

100.0

100.0

100.0

This table shows that all the respondents have mobile Internet. 50 (100%)
have mobile Internet
Table 7: Respondents' rate of surfing the net for research purposes

Valid

Always

Frequency

Percent

Valid Percent

Cumulative
Percent

30

60.0

60.0

60.0

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Few times

18

36.0

36.0

96.0

Seldom

4.0

4.0

100.0

Total

50

100.0

100.0

Table 7 shows that 30 (60%) of the respondents always surf the Internet, 18
(36%) surf the net few times while 2 (4%) seldom surf the net.
Table 8: Respondents' thoughts on relevance of the Internet

Valid

Yes

Frequency

Percent

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

50

100.0

100.0

100.0

Table 8 shows that all the respondents are of the view that the Internet is
more relevant in research than the library. 50 (100%) agree that the Internet is
more relevant.
Table 9: Respondents' view on the Internets free access to books/articles

Valid

Yes

Frequency

Percent

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

50

100.0

100.0

100.0

This table shows that all the respondents are of the view that the Internet
provides a free access to books and articles than libraries. 50 (100%) of them
believe so.

Table 10: Respondents' view on if the internet has encouraged plagiarism

Valid

Yes

Frequency

Percent

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

50

100.0

100.0

100.0

Table 8 shows that 50 (100%) the respondents believe that the Internet has
encouraged plagiarism.

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Table 11: Respondents that have been plagiarized

Frequency Percent

Valid Percent Cumulative

Percent

20

40.0

40.0

40.0

Don't know 30

60.0

60.0

100.0

Total

100.0

100.0

Yes
Valid

50

This table shows that 20 (40%) of the respondents have been plagiarized
while 30 (60%) do not know if they have been plagiarized.
Table 12: Respondents that know about cases of plagiarism among their
colleagues

Valid

Frequency

Percent

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

No

20

40.0

40.0

40.0

Don't know

30

60.0

60.0

100.0

Total

50

100.0

100.0

Table 12 shows that among the respondents, 20 (40%) said that there
colleagues dont plagiarize while 30 (60%) dont know if their colleagues
plagiarize.
Table 13: Respondents' view on the level of plagiarism among their colleagues

Valid

Frequency

Percent

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

Low

31

62.0

62.0

62.0

Very-Low

19

38.0

38.0

100.0

Total

50

100.0

100.0

Table 13 shows that 31(62%) of the respondents are of the view that the level
of plagiarism among UNIZIK lecturers is low, while 19 (38%) that the level
of plagiarism is very among UNIZIK lecturers.

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DATA ANALYSIS
Demographic representation; tables 1 and 2 provide answers from the
respondents to the questions on their Sex and years of experience. From
these two tables, it can be deduced that among the 50 respondents, 36 (72%)
are men while 14 (28%) are females. And that 8 (16%) of the respondents
have lectured for 2-10 years, 36 (72%) have lectured for 10-20 years and 6
(12%) have lectured for 20 years and above.
Research question 1; what is the level of use of the internet for Nnamdi
Azikiwe University lecturers? Tables 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 provide the answer, that
50 (100%) of the respondents are computer literate, 50 (100%) of them have
their personal computers, 20 respondents (40%) do not have internet facilities
in their offices while 30 (60%) have internet facilities in their offices. And
that 50 (100%) have mobile internet facility while 30 (60%) of the
respondents always surf the net, 18 (36%) surf the net few times, and 2 (4%)
seldom surf the net. The answers from this research question depict that there
is a high level of use of the internet by Nnamdi Azikiwe lecturers, which they
do through their personal computers. And that some lecturers do not have the
University provided internet facility in their offices.
Research question 2; how does the target population see the influence of
the Internet on plagiarism? Tables 8, 9, and 10 present the answers
suggesting that 50 (100%) of the respondents agree that the internet is more
relevant to researchers than libraries, all of them (100%) agree that the
internet provides researchers with better accessible means of getting research
materials than libraries and 50 (100%) of them are of the view that the
internet has encouraged plagiarism in Nigerian Universities. These answers
mean that the internet has and would continue to be a good research source
that provides a better and easier means of accessing books/ materials for
research than the libraries but has indirectly increased the level of plagiarism.
Research question 3; what is the level of plagiarism among lecturers of
Nnamdi Azikiwe University? Tables 10, 11, and 13 show that 20 (40%) of
the respondents have been plagiarized while 30 (60%) of the respondents
dont know if they have been plagiarized. 20 (40%) of them are of the view

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that none of their colleagues have plagiarized while 30 (60%) do not know.
And that 31 (62%) of the respondents are of the view that the level of
plagiarism amongst their colleagues in UNIZIK is low while 19 (38%)
believe that the level of plagiarism amongst them is very-low. The answers
from research question 3 mean that some of the lecturers in UNIZIK have
been plagiarized while they do not plagiarize.
FINDINGS
The findings of this research work have shown that there is a high level of the
use of the Internet by lecturers (in UNIZIK) through their personal
computers, which has reinforced the previous research findings by Anyira
(2011), Oghuvwu (2010), Onuoha and Nkechi (2013), and Yusuf (2006) as
earlier mentioned in this study. Also, that the Internet has encouraged
plagiarism in higher institutions just like Onuoha and Nkechi (2013), and
Olutola (2014) posited in their different research works.
The work also revealed that some lecturers in UNIZIK do not have internet
facility in their offices and that they (lecturers) do not plagiarize.
CONCLUSSION
Knowledge, they say is power and knowledge is acquired by authentic
learning. Plagiarism is inhibitive of true knowledge and has been exacerbated
with the advent of the Internet. Researchers should learn to be original and
admit the critical need to eradicate plagiarism. All stakeholders within the
academic community such as the governing bodies, lecturers and students
must identify their roles and works towards maintaining an academic
environment free from the plague of plagiarism.

15

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