12: Academic Dishonesty Among International Students in Higher Education

Abstract

University instructors address and want to eschew student academic misconduct. These educators presume that students understand fully what cheating and plagiarism are. However, the issue of academic dishonesty among international students is complex and difficult. This study investigated the perceptions of international undergraduate and graduate students in a southern U.S. university about possible causes for academic misbehavior. Results reveal several causal variables: previous learning style, English language proficiency, unfamiliarity with American academic cultures, relationship between student and teacher, and availability of technical and educational resources associated with academic dishonesty.

Middle Eastern Perspectives of Academic Integrity: A View from the Gulf Region

“…Some posit that misconduct is more prevalent among international students faced with university level work in their non-native language. The literature has addressed foreign students at English medium institutions (Arkoudis 2007;Bista 2010Bista , 2011Park 2003). By extension, expatriate instructors and administrators have observed similar trends among students in Western-style universities in countries where English is not the first language.…”

Stealing or Sharing? Cross‐Cultural Issues of Plagiarism in an Open‐Source Era

“…Several articles and books (for example Gallant et al ; Hayes and Introna ; Bista ; Carroll ) refer to the special pressures that international students face. As one student puts it: “I have to succeed.…”

“…As one student puts it: “I have to succeed. Everyone expects me to succeed and I expect it too” (Bista , 162). Family, extended family, and funding groups are among those who expect success of international students, and often they have made great sacrifices to ensure it.…”

“…Normal student behavior of writing a paper close to the deadline becomes unfeasible when writing takes much longer. The statement of one international student likely speaks for many: “I got desperate at the last minute” (Bista , 162).…”

“It Just Messes Your Mind”: U.S. International Students’ Perspectives of and Experiences with Academic Text Sourcing

“…Yet plagiarism is a persistent problem in academia, impacting "academic and professional settings globally regardless of size, scope, or mission" (Doss et al, 2016, p. 543). International students, in a strange environment, are burdened already with psychological, social, and academic pressures and hence at a greater risk of not adhering to the strict policy and guidelines of a U.S. academic honor code (Amsberry, 2010;Bista, 2011). In fact, one study found "academic misconduct and plagiarism [were] prevalent among international students" (Bista, 2011, p. 167).…”