Academic dishonesty

Academic dishonesty refers to various actions that violate the expected norms of a learning institution. It is not a single concept but a collection of many different behaviors. These actions can include cheating, plagiarism, or even sabotage. Because definitions vary, most schools and universities create their own specific policies. Many institutions follow the International Centre for Academic Integrity (ICAI) to build their culture. The ICAI promotes six fundamental values: honesty, trust, respect, fairness, responsibility, and courage.

Cheating is one common form of academic misconduct. It involves the forbidden sharing of information during an exam or assignment. Students have used many methods to hide information. Some have hidden cheat sheets in bathroom toilet tanks or baseball caps. Others have used electronic devices like graphing calculators, pagers, or cell phones. Some students use subtle signals to communicate answers to friends. These signals might include coded sneezes, pencil tapping, or specific foot movements. For example, one student might tap their foot once for answer "A" and twice for answer "B."

Other forms of dishonesty involve the use of outside help. Impersonation occurs when a person completes an assignment or exam for the student assigned to it. Contract cheating, also known as ghostwriting, is a similar method. In this case, a student hires a third party to complete their work. This often involves "essay mills," which are organizations that write papers for pay. This practice gained traction in the 1940s through campus advertisements. A 2019 study estimated that the ghostwriting industry generates approximately $100 million in revenue.

Plagiarism is the use or close imitation of another author's language and thoughts. It happens when someone represents those ideas as their own original work. This can range from using a clever phrase without credit to full-scale contract cheating. The concept of plagiarism has changed over time. In the 18th century, Europe developed the modern idea that originality is an ideal. Before this, artists were often encouraged to copy the masters. Today, plagiarism is a serious breach of ethics in academia and journalism. It can lead to severe consequences like expulsion. Even self-plagiarism is considered dishonest. This happens when a student submits work for a new course that they already turned in for a previous one.

Academic dishonesty has a very long history. Scholars note that cheating was prevalent during Chinese civil service exams thousands of years ago. At that time, the penalty for cheating was death for both the student and the examiner. In the United States, cheating was identified as a widespread problem at colleges in the late 19th century. During the turn of the 20th century, it was estimated that two-thirds of college students cheated. In some cases, fraternities used "essay banks" to store term papers. These papers were resubmitted by different students with only the names changed.

Research shows that academic dishonesty is still very common today. In the United States, studies show that 20 percent of students begin cheating in the first grade. Currently, 56 percent of middle school students and 70 percent of high school students report cheating. In higher education, rates vary by the type of school. At large public universities, cheating rates can be as high as 75 percent. At small, elite liberal arts colleges, the rate is often between 15 and 20 percent. Interestingly, students at schools with an honor code are less likely to cheat. Graduate students also face these issues, with 56 percent of MBA students admitting to cheating.

Modern technology has introduced new challenges for academic integrity. The rise of AI-generated tools like ChatGPT has changed how students complete work. Because these tools produce human-like text, they can increase ghostwriting and plagiarism. A survey by Chalmers University of Technology found that 62 percent of students believe using chatbots during exams is cheating. Some schools now use online proctoring services to oversee digital tests. The goal is to ensure that learning actually happens in the student's brain.