International Journal of Research in Economics and Social Sciences
Year : 2016, Volume : 6, Issue : 3
First page : ( 269) Last page : ( 279)
Online ISSN : 2249-7382.

Incidence of Plagiarism Among Undergraduate Students in Higher Educational Institutions in Ghana

Appiah Michael Karikari

The Director, Brain-Trust Research PVT Limited, Box Ks 16184, Adum-Kumasi, Ghana

Online published on 25 May, 2016.

Abstract

The habit of coping, imitating or make use without due acknowledgment to the Author of an idea or it sources is term plagiarism. The incidence of plagiarism among students in Higher Educational Institutions is growing perniciously rapid than scholars projected. The emergence of the digital age has come to exacerbate this situation. One thing of great concern is that plagiarism is a problem for developed countries as well as underdeveloped nations. The 2013 conference on Plagiarism across Europe and beyond in Brno, Czech Republic raises further concern on plagiarism menace. The general objective of this study is to assess the Incidence of Plagiarism in Higher Educational Institutions in Ghana using a sample size of 278 undergraduate students from Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana. Employing a descriptive research design and a structured questionnaire these students were assessed on knowledge and attitude on plagiarism. Stratified sample technique and Predictive Analytic Software (PASW) for windows were used respectively for respondents’ selection and data analyzing. The findings were presented using frequencies, percentages, cross-tabulations and Chi-squire. Findings showed that there is a high incidence of plagiarism and related academic dishonesty practices among undergraduate's students in the Kumasi metropolis of Ghana. 89.9% admitted that they have one way or other copied and pasted internet sources during assignments. Moreover, 77% did cheat due to excessive work load.82.7% considered collusion as a form of plagiarism, albeit 64.7% and 65.5% respectively do not consider patchworks and pastiche as a form of academic dishonesty. Paraphrasing and getting good source were the major constrains in students’ academic work. Penalties include; verbal warning (21.6%), re-write (23%) and zero score (17.3%).Of great concern is however that88.5% of these undergraduate students are aspiring to further their studies to the graduate level. National policy on plagiarism is recommended.

Top

Keywords

Higher Educational Institutions, Incidence, Plagiarism, Attitude, Knowledge.

Top