Perceptions of Plagiarism Among Medical and Nursing Students in Erbil, Iraq
Journal Title: Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal - Year 2018, Vol 18, Issue 2
Abstract
Objectives: Te rapidly rising incidence of plagiarism among students at universities throughout the world requires attention. Tis study aimed to determine the extent to which medical and nursing students in Erbil, Iraq, plagiarise, their knowledge, understanding and perceptions of plagiarism and the underlying factors that may lead them to plagiarise. Methods: Tis cross-sectional study was carried out between January and June 2017 among a sample of 400 undergraduate medical and nursing students at Hawler Medical University in Erbil. Plagiarism-related data were collected through a specially designed self-administered questionnaire. Results: In total, 280 (70%) medical students and 120 (30%) nursing students were included in the study. Te reported prevalence of plagiarism was 54.3%, with a slightly higher prevalence among male students compared to female students (54.9% versus 53.8%; P = 0.820) and medical students compared to nursing students (58.9% versus 43.3%; (P = 0.004). Alarmingly, 34.8% of the students did not know what plagiarism was, and only 28% were aware of the legal consequences of plagiarism. Reported reasons for plagiarising included laziness and the ease with which others’ work could be plagiarised, confusion, cultural reasons and pressure to meet deadlines. Conclusion: Tere was a lack of understanding of plagiarism and its legal ramifcations among undergraduate medical and nursing students in Erbil. Te fndings of this study indicate that there is an urgent need to increase students’ understanding of plagiarism and its consequences so as to reduce the incidence of this type of academic misconduct.
Authors and Affiliations
Kameran H. Ismail
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