Undergraduate cheating: Who does what and why?

ABSTRACT Research on undergraduate cheating behaviour is in its infancy in the UK. The paper reports data from a series of studies across different academic disciplines and different institutions. The first study was designed to assess staff and student perceptions of the seriousness and frequency of different kinds of cheating. This enabled a comprehensive set of cheating behaviours to be developed. A second study utilised this set to elicit self-reports by undergraduates, who also gave reasons for indulging (or not) in each type of behaviour. Behaviours such as: copying each other's work, plagiarism, and altering and inventing research data were admitted to by more than 60% of the students. Data with respect to age, gender, discipline and institution are discussed along with the implications of these results for all in higher education.