Copy-Past Culture: Examining the Causes and Solutions to Source Code Plagiarism

Abstract

In an era marked by the increasing digitization of society, the issue of source code plagiarism has emerged as a persistent concern. This research paper delves into the problem of source code plagiarism within educational settings, exploring its implications, potential remedies, and the associated hurdles in implementing these solutions. Source code plagiarism involves the unauthorized copying of code without proper attribution, and it has been on the rise in educational institutions due to various contributing factors. This paper sheds light on the educational system's pressures, time constraints, lofty expectations, and the allure of quick completion that make source code plagiarism appealing to students. Furthermore, it highlights the lack of understanding among students regarding academic integrity and citation methods, exacerbating the problem. Source code plagiarism not only hampers students' intellectual development and problem-solving skills but also undermines the fairness of assessments, posing grading challenges for educators. Nevertheless, there are several potential solutions. While proactive methods focus on prevention through education and policy, reactive methods employ AI-driven plagiarism detectors for detection. However, these solutions are not without their challenges, such as the issue of false positives in plagiarism detection and the potential adversarial response from students. In conclusion, source code plagiarism is a growing problem in modern society that can not be avoided any longer. Potential solutions to source code plagiarism should be taken into account while considering their withdrawals. Computer science and programming courses should foster a sense of integrity to avoid source code plagiarism and develop new generations of coders for the future.