Why Russian undergraduates cheat and how they rationalise it for themselves and others
Why do some students cheat by looking over someone’s shoulder, furtively searching for test answers on the internet, using cheat sheets during exams or paying others to complete their coursework? How do they rationalise their behaviour to continue to think of themselves as decent people? A study https:/
While this story from Russia is ostensibly about academic integrity amongst students in Russia, it does provide useful prompts into how to disincentivise cheating that can escalate into research misconduct.
According to studies performed in many countries, the vast majority of students have at least once committed academic fraud such as plagiarism, using cheat sheets during exams, ‘outsourcing’ one’s homework, sharing information between peers regarding test answers, etc. There are many reasons why academic dishonesty is so widespread.
Often students’ perception of their peers’ behaviour has an effect on the likelihood of cheating. Students who believe that most of their classmates do it are more inclined to cheat.
