Perception of Academic Dishonesty and Participation by Undergraduate Students of Kogi State University, Anyigba

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume II, Issue V, May 2018 | ISSN 2454-6186

Perception of Academic Dishonesty and Participation by Undergraduate Students of Kogi State University, Anyigba

Venatus V. Kakwagh

Department of Sociology, Kogi State University, Anyigba, Nigeria

Abstract: – This study was carried out to analyze the perceptions of academic dishonesty and participation by students of Kogi State University, Anyigba-Nigeria. Data for the study were collected through the application of self administered structured questionnaire. The study has shown that many of the students had engaged in academic dishonesty and/or witnessed their colleagues engage in the practice. The study has also shown that most of the students perceived cheating in examinations by copying their colleagues’ work, sharing of answers for assignments and the exchange of money for marks as less serious offences. This perception of academic dishonesty is due to the non distribution of institutional guidelines to the students and the lack of orientation programmes about academic dishonest behaviour. It is therefore recommended that concerted efforts should be made to address academic dishonesty in all institutions of higher learning in Nigeria. Managers of higher institutions of learning should pay particular attention to this to avoid the transfer of these practices to the workplace. Universities particularly should ensure that institutional rules on academic dishonesty are distributed to the students at the time of registration. Orientation programmes should be periodically carried out to acquaint the students and reawaken their understanding of the consequences of academic dishonest behaviours. School administrators should be more innovative in designing the orientation programmes to avoid dishonest behaviours. It is when this is done that the Nigerian public will begin to develop confidence in the quality of our graduates and even in our academic institutions as being capable of raising future leaders with integrity.

Key Words: Perception; Academic dishonesty; Participation; Kogi State; University

I. INTRODUCTION

Academic dishonesty is a phenomenon that is widely described as widespread at tertiary institutions ( Prenshaw, J.P; Straughan, D.R and Albers-Miller, D.N (2001). It is occurring in both developed and developing countries ( Kyei,K.A and Nduro, K‘’ 2014). Studies abound on the prevalence of academic dishonesty at colleges and universities (see Omoregie and Osa-Edoh, 2005; Pino and Smith, 2003).

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