If students have to live through routine and situations of overwork, they will tend to lose interest in the very essence of learning and will fall into the rut of cheating tactics such as plagiarism. The role of academic administrators is vital in curbing the rising trend in student dishonesty. An overworked student who suffers from mental fatigue and is a product of a boring academic environment will want to finish tasks such as papers and tests in the quickest and easiest way possible for either mere compliance or just to get a hopefully higher grade.
The study conducted by Hinman (2004) recommends that the best way to address the ease of plagiarism brought about by the easy access to the Internet is to fight technology with more technology via the use of plagiarism-checking sites and software, but the most sustainable method over the long haul to combat academic dishonesty is to provide more interesting and dynamic ways of teaching.
The study conducted by Pulvers and Diekhoff (1999) states the conclusion that the classroom as a learning environment is the pivotal factor in academic dishonesty. How the students perceive the level of honesty and integrity within the confines of the classroom bears greatly on how he or she regards cheating. In other words, if the classroom environment is vulnerable to unethical practices and that loose morals generally go unnoticed, unattended, or unchecked, then the misbehaving student will think that he or she can get away with cheating anytime. Worse, not many teachers discuss with their students the topic of academic honesty and integrity (Olt, 2002).
According to McMurtry (2001), it is part of the teacher’s responsibility to have the time and the effort to discuss academic policy with their students, for purposes of clarity and laying out of imperative ground rules.
Via Student Plagiarism in an Online World
