Proposal On Reducing Cheating (AutoRecovered)
Proposal On Reducing Cheating (AutoRecovered)
College of Education
Training
On
Higher Diploma Program (HDP)
May, 2023
Debre Berhan, Ethiopia
Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS................................................................................................................II
1 INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................1
1.1 Background.......................................................................................................................1
1.2 Statement of the problem..................................................................................................1
1.3 Objectives of the study......................................................................................................2
1.3.1 General Objective......................................................................................................2
1.3.2 Specific Objectives....................................................................................................2
1.4 Research Questions...........................................................................................................2
2 LITERATURE REVIEW.........................................................................................................3
2.1 The Concept of Academic Dishonesty..............................................................................3
2.2 Types of Academic Dishonesty........................................................................................3
2.3 Reasons for Cheating in Exams........................................................................................4
4 TIME SCHEDULE..................................................................................................................7
5 BUDGET BREAKDOWN.......................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9
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1 Introduction
1.1 Background
Academic dishonesty has become a serious problem at institutions of higher learning
(Carpenter et al., 2006). Cheating on examinations in academic institutions is a worldwide issue.
Student habits and views on cheating are developed in high school (Kenneth et al, 2012). In the
advent of the twenty first century generation, one of the most disturbing and alarming problems
in education is underpinned by students’ ways of cheating. Cheating occurs when a student
obtains or attempts to obtain some advantage or extra marks by any dishonest or deceptive
means. This can include lying; copying from another's test or examination; interacting with other
students during assessments and taking any unauthorized material into an examination venue
(Leo Andrew & Diego, 2017). Thus, cheating is considered as one of the forms of academic
misconduct that has become one of the biggest concerns of educational institutions (Liebig,
March 2012). Problems concerning cheating became evident not only among undergraduate
university students, but also among secondary learners in recent times.
Debre Berhan University prepared an assessment policy including a final exam and
continuous assessment. Through every assessments process, there is not known how many
students of engineering are not participating in cheating activity. There are many students are
caught when participated in cheating by invigilators in final examinations, tests and quizzes. In
addition, most students did not work assignments given individually rather copied from one
student who completed first. Internship reports and BSc thesis/ project works are also the area of
plagiarism in which students copied other works and submitted to departments. The aim of this
action research is to reduce the causes and effects of cheating in 2 nd year mechanical engineering
students and proposing a reducing measure.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
In Debre Berhan University among different concerns as like instructors and students, the
institute also complain about the growing practice of cheating and plagiarism on exams and
written works. The practice also expands throughout the colleges and departments. In mechanical
engineering department especially 2nd year batch students are the victims of such practice.
Therefore, it is ideal to investigate the causes, the trends of the practices and the perceptions of
stakeholders before these acts impede the overall quality of education.
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Debre Berhan University prepared an assessment policy including a final exam and
continuous assessment. Through every assessments process, significant numbers of engineering
students are participating in cheating activity. Perhaps, students are caught when participated in
cheating by invigilators in final examinations, tests and quizzes. In addition, most students did
not work assignments given individually rather copied from one student who completed first.
These practices will lead to production of incompetent graduate to achieve the goal given to
universities.
Therefore, this action research will be identifying the cause and practice of cheating and
attempt to minimize cheating practices by proposing a reducing measure for 2 nd year mechanical
engineering students.
1.3 Objectives of the Action Research
1.3.1 General Objective
The main objective of the action research is to identify the causes and practices of various
cheating and proposing a reducing measure on students for 2 nd year mechanical engineering
batch.
1.3.2 Specific Objectives
Specific objectives of this action research are:
Identify the most frequently occurring cheating practice in 2nd year mechanical
engineering students.
Assess the extent of cheating during examination and tests.
Identify the causes and practice of cheating.
Propose exam cheating prevention and detection strategies.
1.4 Research Questions
The research question to be answered from the action research includes: -
a) Is the intention of scoring higher result/ grades in the shorter path are the causes of
cheating?
b) Is cheating practice experienced to be safe from academic dismissal?
c) Is insufficient time for preparation of exams as a cause of cheating?
d) Is the invigilators poor control lead to cheating?
e) Are the peer influence and initiation lead to cheating?
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2 Literature Review
2.1 The Concept of Academic Dishonesty
Academic institutions are places where citizens are prepared for a diverse need of life and
societal issues. We value academic integrity very highly and do not permit any forms of
dishonesty or deception that unfairly, improperly or illegally enhance a grade on an individual
assignment or a course grade. We are aware, however, that new forms of cheating, plagiarism
and other forms of dishonesty may arise and therefore, we expect every student to interpret the
requirement of academic honesty and integrity broadly and in good faith.
Plagiarism occurs when a person represents someone else’s words, ideas, phrases,
sentences, or data as one’s own work (Jeanne L Higbee & Thomas, January 2002). When
submitting work that includes someone else’s words, ideas, syntax, data or organizational
patterns, the source of that information must be acknowledged through complete, accurate and
specific references. All word for word statements must be acknowledged through quotation
marks, unless, academic dishonesty comes as a practice in the academic environment.
2.2 Types of Academic Dishonesty
In the academic environment, academic dishonesty can be explained in different ways. In
most cases, in Ethiopia, the practices are being manifested in the form of cheating exams and
plagiarism (papers and assignments).
Academic dishonesty may be categorized as exam cheating and plagiarism based on the
nature of the acts. In cheating exams, (EtterJ.J. & Finn, January 2006) state that we can have a
list of activities including copying from others, having or using notes, formulas or other
information in a programmable calculator or other electronic device without explicit teacher
review and permission, having or using a communication device such as a cell phone, paper, or
electronic translator to send or obtain unauthorized information, taking an exam for another
student, or permitting someone else to take a test for someone else and asking another to give
you improper assistance, including offering money or other benefits and etc. Secondly, under
plagiarism, practices like, giving or getting improper assistance on an assignment meant to be
individual work, including in any assignment turned in for credit any materials not based on your
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own research and writing; this includes: using the services of a commercial term paper company,
using the services of another student and copying part or all of another person’s paper and
submitting it as your own for an assignment ((PhD), 2016).
In addition, acting as a provider of paper(s) for a student or students, submitting
substantial portions of the same academic work for credit in more than one course without
consulting both teachers (self-plagiarism), failing to properly acknowledge paraphrased materials
via textual attribution, footnotes, endnotes and/or a bibliography and citing non-existent sources
(articles, books, etc.) are seriously considered as acts of plagiarism.
In the Ethiopian context, though there are differences in the widespread of the acts, both
forms of dishonesties are observed in the academic institutions. However, experiences revealed
that the former one is prevalent in all academic levels. The later one, plagiarism, is very common
in higher education: universities and colleges.
In the study of (Theresa Kwong & al, November 2010), he found that students participate
in academic misconduct because of their workloads and time pressures, their desire to achieve
good grades, and unclear instructions from teachers about what constitutes academic misconduct.
Classrooms that stresses high grades and test scores may lead the learners to cheat. Situational
factors also contribute to the students’ tendency to cheat. For instance, some students find their
work challenging or boring, fear failure, lack training and may be pressured by insufficient time
to study and heavy workloads (Diana Razera & al, January 2010). In modern times, cheating
involves the possession, communication or use of information, materials, notes, study aids or
other devices not authorized by the instructor in an academic exercise, or communication with
another person during such an exercise.
2.3 Reasons for Cheating in Exams
According to the paper, (Diana Starovoytova & al, 2016) time-pressure; Hard-courses;
Laziness; Competition with others; Coping with stress; Difficult-exams; Chances of getting
caught are minimal; Punishment is not serious; Improving one’s grades; Peer-Pressure; Fear of
failure; “Everybody does it”; Course was useless; Parents’ pressure; Taking a chance; Lecturer
does not care; Instructor-vigilance is low; High-course-load; and not understanding questions
among others. Some-studies identify factors that contribute to cheating, as follows: students
learning from a dishonest-society poor-teaching, poor-learning-environment and lack of facilities
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an education-system that is concerned only about-performance; poor time management lack of
effective study-habits and technology (Carpenter & al, July 2006).
The question “Why do students cheat?” really interested researchers and academicians
for some-time now; they typically divided reasons for cheating into three categories:
psychological (Roth & McCabe, 1995), demographic (Stern, 1986), and situational. Of these-
three, research indicates that psychological-factors appear to play the most-important-role in
student-cheating. According to (Stern, 1986) main-students’-responses on the question are: (a)
competition for good-grades, (b) inadequate time to study for exams, (c) unfair or overly-
difficult-assignments, and (d) a lack of interest in the course and material.
Cheating seems very-easy-avenue for some-students, because they feel that the risk of
detection is often minimal and even if it will arrive, the penalty is low, since the seriousness of
cheating is underestimated in some-institutions that can encourage students to cheat.
Furthermore, these-students are not fully-aware of the penalties and therefore can violate the
academic rules (Ma & al, 2007). In another qualitative-study, (McCabe & al, 1999) identified
factors that influence cheating, such as: pressure to get high-grades, a desire to excel, pressure to
get a job, lack of responsibility, lack of good-character, poor self-image, lack of pride in the job
well-done, and a lack of personal-integrity, among others.
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3 Research Design and Methodology
3.1 Description of the Study Area
The study was conducted in Debre Berhan University, which is located 130km away
from Addis Ababa in North Shewa Zone, Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia. The study
is specifically in college of engineering, mechanical engineering department 2nd year students.
3.2 Data Collection, Data Type and Data Source
In order to achieve the objective of the study both primary and secondary data has been
collected and used. The primary data such as questionnaire, in-depth interview and focus group
discussion has been collection from students and instructors. The primary data both qualitative
and quantitative was collected. Quantitative study was conducted to gather quantitative
information. The secondary data has collected from published and unpublished literatures.
Emphasis was given to the relevant data to have an in-depth view and to find out the existing
situation and practice of cheating in mechanical engineering 2nd year batch students.
Participants of action research: Various personnel were participating in the research to
achieve the required objective. Students have been participated in deeply.
Source of data: Sample data from mechanical engineering department will the source of
population for the study.
Study Population: Students can be a study population who has been selected from
source population.
Data Collection Procedure and Tools: The questionnaire has been developed after
extensive review of literatures and similar study tools used previously by adapting to the purpose
of the study. The data was collected by explain each question to the students to help them
understand the questions well and fill their own response on questionnaire and also the data was
collected using self-administered structured questionnaire which has prepared in English.
Data Quality Assurance: The collected data has been be reviewed and checked for
completeness before data entry. Various approaches will used to analyze both primary and
secondary data. Excel worksheet will used to analyze the data collected from the respondents as
well as the secondary data.
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4 Time schedule
Table 1 Time schedule for accomplishing each activity
Item Activity Period of accomplishing activities
No April May June Remark
1 Reviewing
2 Allocating Study Area
3 Carrying out research
design
4 Determining sample
size
5 Data collection
6 Data analysis and
interpretation
7 Preparing action plan
and implementation
strategy
8 Documentation
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5 Budget Breakdown
Table 2 allocated for each activity required for action research
Budget for Research design
Activity No. of People involved Unit cost Total cost Remark
Allocating study area Group 9 300 900
Sampling and research Group 9 400 1200
design
Budget for data collection
Paper For 25 students each 2 5 250
pages
Printing For 25 students each 2 10 500
pages
Budget for Analysis and Interpretation
Software Group 9 1000 1000
Budget for action plan and implementation strategy
Implementation Group 9 2000 2000
Budget for Documentation
Documentation 2 150 300
Grand Total Budget 6150
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Diana Razera, & al, et. (January 2010). Plagiarism awareness, perception, and attitudes among
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