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Cheating is in the Eye of the Beholder: an Evolving Understanding of Academic Misconduct

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Abstract

Research consistently indicates that academic dishonesty is pervasive on college campuses, including in online courses. For our study we administered a survey to two groups of undergraduate criminal justice students, one group of face-to-face students of traditional college-age and the other a group of distance learners employed full-time in criminal justice professions. The survey was designed to assess prevalence, techniques, and definitions regarding online cheating. Findings indicate that a large percentage of both groups engaged in practices normatively defined as “cheating,” yet they did not consider their behaviors to be violations of academic integrity. In closing, we offer suggestions for best practice techniques for communicating expectations to students and reducing online exam cheating.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, 50011, USA

    Kyle A. Burgason

  2. Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC, USA

    Ophir Sefiha & Lisa Briggs

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  1. Kyle A. Burgason
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  2. Ophir Sefiha
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Correspondence to Kyle A. Burgason.

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Burgason, K.A., Sefiha, O. & Briggs, L. Cheating is in the Eye of the Beholder: an Evolving Understanding of Academic Misconduct. Innov High Educ 44, 203–218 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-019-9457-3

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