Witnessing of Cheating-in-Exams Behavior and Factors Sustaining Integrity

Abstract

This-study is a-fraction of a-larger-research on cheating, at the-School of Engineering (SOE). The study-design used a-descriptive-survey-approach and a-document-analysis. A-designed-confidential self-report-questioner was used as the main-instrument, for this-study, with the-sample-size of 100-subjects and response-rate of 95%. The-tool was pre-tested, to-ensure its-validity and reliability. The-study focused on the-Classical-Test-Theory and on the-Theory of Reasoned-Action. The-data collection-instrument was subjected to the-statistical-analysis to-determine its-reliability via Cronbach’s alpha-coefficient, and found high inter-item consistency (a > 0.9). The-results of the-survey revealed that only 18% of the-respondents admitted that they-have-never cheated; however, they have-witnessed an-array of cheating-techniques used by their-classmates, which illustrates, that students are exceedingly-inventive and opportunistic, in-nature, and they are ready-to-use any-method, to-achieve their-ultimate-goals (mainly, good-grades). 22% of those never-cheated, confessed that they-were-afraid of being caught by the-invigilators; while only 6% stated that ‘I was afraid of being reported by my fellow-classmates’. The-absence of ‘risk’ (fear of penalties), is above all, attention-grabbing, to this-study, as it implies that SOE’ students do-not bothered-much about getting-caught cheating. Recommendations on-measures, to-be applied, to-fight cheating-menace, were presented, in-conjunction-with suggestions, for further-research, in this-area. In-synopsis, the-maintenance of academic-integrity, by all-stakeholders, is a-continuing and enduring-task, which will bring-in rewards, but only if attentively-managed.

Keywords: academic misconduct, engineering undergraduate, students, questioner, peer-pressure.