A study of attitude towards plagiarism among Thai university students

Abstract

Academic misconduct, especially plagiarism, has always been a critical academic issue in Thailand. Since the beginning of 2020, the COVID crisis has also led to another kind of pandemic plagiarism. Due to the ongoing lockdown the use of the internet, digital platforms, and eLearning has dramatically increased. This sudden explosion in online learning has further exacerbated attitudes about plagiarism. Needless to say, the internet provides ample opportunities for Thai students to access a wealth of information without visiting their school, college, or university library. While this has led to a boom in searching for online information, it has also made it much easier for students to plagiarize content that they stumble upon. Since Thai students are very weak in English language proficiency there is always a temptation for copying from the internet. Although most Thai institutions have a policy to curb plagiarism and uphold academic integrity, they seem to have a very limited effect. This research is based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) which states that attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral controls together shape the individual’s intentions and behaviors. For the purpose of this study, an online survey was crafted using the variables pertinent to the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). A modified conceptual framework based on TPB was utilized. The results show that Thai students lack proper knowledge and implications of plagiarism. This study also provides suggestions to curb plagiarism and improve the English proficiency of Thai students.