Original Writing in a Remix Culture: Challenges and Solutions for Addressing Plagiarism

Academic Integrity In The Classroom

Cheating often begins in the middle school years. Research suggests that more than half of middle school students have cheated on homework or an exam, and the prevalence of cheating has increased in recent years (Ma et al., 2008). Surveys administered to students from three universities found that two-thirds admitted to cheating in high school, college, or both (Bernardi et al., 2004, p. 397). More recently, the International Center for Academic Integrity (2021) reported that 95% of undergraduate and graduate students in the United States and United Kingdom had cheated in some form (para. 2), leaving only five percent indicating they had refrained from cheating or plagiarizing. These figures illustrate the pervasiveness of the problem, one not confined to certain subsets of students or scholastic aptitude. A survey of academic achievers recognized by Who’s Who Among American High School Students found that 80% had cheated on a test, a 10-percentage point increase compared to 20 years earlier (Strom & Strom, 2007, p. 105).