Influences on cheating practice of graduate students in IT courses: what are the factors?

ABSTRACT

This paper presents an analysis of results of a survey of graduate students in IT courses that aimed to gain an understanding of their views of cheating and knowledge of their cheating practice. The survey was part of an investigation into the cheating behaviour of IT students within the Faculty of Information Technology of Monash University. Using a factor analysis technique, categories of cheating behaviour and categories of reasons that could cause cheating or prevent cheating were identified. These were then used to determine possible influences on different types of cheating behaviour. A search of the literature has shown that there is a scarcity of studies of cheating behaviour of IT students, especially at the graduate level. The results of this study are informing an education program and development of policy on student cheating within our Faculty.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  K. Computing Milieux
  K.3 COMPUTERS AND EDUCATION
      K.3.2 Computer and Information Science Education
          Subjects: Computer science education

General Terms:
Human Factors

Keywords:
cheating, graduate students, information technology, plagiarism