EDIT 604: Module 201 Jeff Pilcher

Academic Dishonesty Assignment

The research study, ​ An Empirical Investigation of Digital Cheating and Plagiarism

Among Middle School Students i​ nvestigated students’ attitudes towards digital cheating and

plagiarism. The research sought to answer the following questions: How do the young people

decide to cheat? What are students’ attitudes toward plagiarism? How do students define

plagiarism? What are teachers’ attitudes toward plagiarism?

This study used a qualitative methodology using focus groups and interviews from three

middle schools in Ohio. Each of these schools had very different demographics. The study

included students, teachers, parents, and media specialists for a total of 51 participants. The

student participants were asked to participate in two 60 minute focus groups based on gender.

The other participants were asked questions in semi-formal interviews. The data was collected

and analyzed by looking for patterns and finding themes that emerged (Ma, Turner, & Wan,

2007).

The results of this study concluded that 36% of students witnessed cheating using the

internet, a third of them cheated on homework, and some students regularly copy and paste and

submit work as their own. It also concluded that peer culture,websites, lack of punishment,

pressure, of achievement, and concept of cheating are the reasons students cheat using the

internet. The teachers perceptions of this internet cheating epidemic is that students have a lack

of understanding of plagiarism, do not know how to cite sources appropriately, and are not held

accountable when they do not cite sources or are caught cheating (Ma, Turner, & Wan, 2007).

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 This study has implications on my own instruction. As a middle school science teacher,

we conduct a lot of research. I think by middle school, teachers believe students have a strong

foundation for understanding plagiarism and citing sources. Based on this study, students do not

understand plagiarism. I think we do a great job of teaching research skills in Horry County

Schools. Our students are required to find and use credible sources, write using embedded

citations, and produce work cited pages. I think the disconnect is in the daily use of the internet.

Students do not seem to transfer these ethical research skills outside of specific assigned projects.

They look up information constantly without checking for credibility and giving credit to the

original work. I agree with the findings of this study that peer culture and lack of punishment

attribute to these issues with middle school students. This study has reminded me that these

conversations need to be happening daily in all middle school classes. I think we make research

an isolated practice when the students are researching almost daily in class. It is a lack of

awareness that is causing some issues. I think that this has made me aware that I need to teach

students and hold students more accountable when gathering information online on a regular

basis.
 References

Ma, H., Lu, E. Y., Turner, S., & Wan, G. (2007). An Empirical Investigation of Digital Cheating

and Plagiarism among Middle School Students. ​American Secondary Education,​ 35(2),

69–82. Retrieved from

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