Cyber-plagiarism as digital support for the submission of academic writing

 Eva-María Espiñeira-Bellón, A Coruña (Spain)

 Jesús-Miguel Muñoz-Cantero, A Coruña (Spain)

 Enelina-María Gerpe-Pérez, Santiago de Compostela (Spain)

 María-Dolores Castro-Pais, Pontevedra (Spain)

https://doi.org/10.3916/C68-2021-10

Keywords

Cyber-plagiarism, university education, Internet, academic writing, citation, academic ethics

Abstract

Access to the Internet and digital technologies has become the primary source of information used in academic papers, and, according to numerous studies, is therefore accountable for the greatest number of cases of cyber-plagiarism. The aim of this study is to determine whether the type of format used by university students for their academic papers (paper/electronic) has an influence on plagiarism or cyber-plagiarism. The research is based on a quantitative methodology, and it is characterized as exploratory, descriptive, and explanatory, using the questionnaire as a tool for data collection. Purposive non-probability convenience sampling provided a sample of 8,943 students from the Autonomous Community of Galicia. The findings show a preference for the use of the electronic format for submitting academic work. Exceptions are made in several cases in which statistically significant differences are observed both in the acts of plagiarism that are initiated and in the main reasons given to justify such acts. A discussion of the findings correlates the findings of the research with the analysis of previous studies in this area, and the conclusions focus on the need to train students in informational skills so as not to commit plagiarism when using the Internet as an academic source.

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Fundref

This work has the institutional and financial support of an autonomous call for papers of the Xunta de Galicia, with reference no. 002/2019.

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Technical information

Received: 20-11-2020

Revised: 09-01-2021

Accepted: 15-02-2021

OnlineFirst: 15-04-2021

Publication date: 01-07-2021

Article revision time: 50 days | Average time revision issue 68: 37 days

Article acceptance time: 87 days | Average time of acceptance issue 68: 78 days

Preprint editing time: 177 days | Average editing time preprint issue 68: 168 days

Article editing time: 222 days | Average editing time issue 68: 213 days

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