This document discusses academic dishonesty among university students and strategies for faculty to address its root causes. It notes that about 50% of students engage in some form of dishonesty like plagiarism or cheating. When this occurs, academic quality suffers and students may not develop necessary skills. The document reviews ethical theories that can help understand student behaviors related to dishonesty and provides best practices faculty can implement, such as emphasizing academic integrity, using relevant assignments, modeling integrity, and sharing resources to help students properly cite sources. It concludes that preventing, educating about, and responding to dishonesty requires effort from students, faculty, and administrators.

1. Plagiarism, cheating, collusion, and more: What faculty can do
to address the root causes of academic dishonesty in their
classrooms?
Presented by: Alexandra A. Escobar and Richard Dettling

2. Some Problems
 Research shows almost 50% of students
are engaging in some form of academic
dishonesty in universities in the United
States and Canada (McCabe, Butterfield,
& Trevino, 2006; McCabe, 2009).
 When academic quality and integrity is
compromised, the institution suffers.

3. Some Problems
 Students who engage in academic dishonesty may not
develop the necessary academic skills and content
knowledge in college (Postle, 2009).
 This behavior can lead to questionable ethics beyond
school which can negatively impact the community at
large (Harding, Carpenter, Finelli, & Passow, 2004;
Anitsal, Anitsal, & Elmore, 2009; Nonis & Swift, 2001).

4. How are you addressing
these challenges?
 Prevention
 Education
 Response

5. Using Theory to Enhance Practice
 Granitz and Lowey (2007) presented
six ethical theories to understand
plagiarism

6. Ethical Theories to Understand Plagiarism
(Granitz & Lowey, 2007)
Ethical Theory Application Alignment to Student
Behavior & Justification
Deontology Deciding what is right or
wrong based on duty to
others
Applies to students who claim they
did not know they plagiarized since
this would conflict with their sense
of duty
Utilitarianism
Cost benefit analysis: making
decisions based on what
generates the greatest
amount of happiness
Plagiarism can lead to higher
grades and harms no one
Rational
Self-Interest
Benefiting oneself and giving
to others based on what has
been given.
Plagiarism is ok when the
assignment is irrelevant or the
teacher does not put forth much
effort in teaching

7. Ethical Theory Application Alignment to Student
Behavior & Justification
Machiavellianism
Self-interest behavior, no
regard to consequences on
others
Students brag about their
plagiarized work and then blame
others if they get caught
Cultural
relativism
Acting in accordance to the
values of one’s culture
Plagiarism is allowable in students’
own country/culture
Situational/
contingent
ethics
Behaviors and ethical
decisions are influenced by
individual, social, and
situational elements
Plagiarism is permitted under
extenuating circumstances
Ethical Theories to Understand Plagiarism
(Granitz & Lowey, 2007)

8. Extending the Model
 What can instructors do?
 Compiling best practices

9. What Can Instructors Do?
Student Behavior Ways faculty can address root causes
Deontology:
Students not
understanding they
plagiarized
• Socialize the school’s code of Academic Integrity
• Direct instruction on note-taking, paraphrasing,
and citation
• Know and promote available resources to help
students
Utilitarianism:
Plagiarism can lead
to higher grades
and harms no one
• Get to know your students
• Instill ethics in students, discuss current ethical
issues in society
• Have high expectations
• Let students know you will check for plagiarism
• Do in class-writing assignments (writing sample)

10. Student Behavior Ways faculty can address root causes
Rational Self-Interest:
Plagiarism is ok when
the assignment is
irrelevant or the teacher
does not put forth much
effort in teaching
• Show students you care
• Relevant and individualized assignments
and assessments. Narrow topics are best.
• Require students to use current events
and sources within the last 5 years
• Avoid busy work
• Prepare students for assignments and
debrief completed work
Machiavellianism:
Students brag about
their plagiarized work
and blame others if
caught
• Instill ethics in students
• Model scholarly integrity as a faculty
What Can Instructors Do?

11. Student Behavior Ways faculty can address root causes
Cultural Relativism:
Plagiarism is allowable
in students’ own
culture
• Emphasize the importance and value of
academic integrity in U.S. institutions
• Do not assume students know how to cite
• Know and promote available resources to
help students
Situational/Contingent
Ethics:
Action is justified
under extenuating
circumstances
• Share time management strategies
• Break up larger assignments to weekly tasks
(outlines, annotated bibliographies, drafts)
• Consider some flexibility in late policy
• Have students turn in a reflection on the
writing process, struggles, aha moments, etc.
What Can Instructors Do?

12. A Shared Responsibility
 Prevention, education, and response are all
necessary for effectively addressing
academic dishonesty and reducing its
occurrences on our campuses.
 Upholding academic integrity is a joint
effort and the shared responsibility of
students, faculty, and administrators
(Macdonald & Carroll, 2006).

13. And finally…
Questions
and/or
Comments?

14. References
Anitsal, I., Anitsal, M., & Elmore, R. (2009). Academic dishonesty and intention to cheat: a model on
active versus passive academic dishonesty as perceived by business students. Academy of
Entrepreneurship Journal, 15(2), 17-26.
Granitz, N., & Loewy, D. (2007). Applying ethical theories: Interpreting and responding to student
plagiarism. Journal Of Business Ethics, 72(3), 293-306. doi:10.1007/s10551-006-9171-9
Harding, T. S., Carpenter, D. D., Finelli, C. J., & Passow, H. J. (2004). Does academic dishonesty
relate to unethical behavior in professional practice? An exploratory study. Science & Engineering
Ethics, 10(2), 311-324.
Macdonald, R., & Carroll, J. (2006). Plagiarism—a complex issue requiring a holistic institutional
approach. Assessment & Evaluation In Higher Education, 31(2), 233-245.
doi:10.1080/02602930500262536

15. References Cont.
McCabe, D.L, Butterfield, K.D, Treviño, L.K. (2006). Academic dishonesty in graduate business
programs: Prevalence, causes, and proposed action. Academy of Management Learning &
Education. 5(3). 294-305. Retrieved from Ebscohost.
McCabe, D.L. (2009). Academic dishonesty in nursing schools: An empirical investigation.
Journal of Nursing Education. 48(11), 614-623.
Nonis, S. & Swift, C.O., (2001). An examination of the relationship between academic
dishonesty and workplace dishonesty: A multicampus investigation. Journal Of Education For
Business, 77(2), 69.
Postle, K. (2009). Detecting and deterring plagiarism in social work students: Implications for
learning for practice. Social Work Education, 28(4), 351-362.
Wilkinson, J. (2009). Staff and student perceptions of plagiarism and cheating. International
Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 20(2), 98-105.