Academic Dishonesty

Abstract

Research and media reports have established the continued pervasiveness of academic dishonesty among students on America&s;s college campuses. While some colleges have responded with academic integrity classes and increased efforts to convince reluctant faculty members to report student cheaters, there is a renewed interest in the concept of "community" as an effective foundation for campus governance. Academic integrity policies can differ significantly in their content and in the manner in which they are communicated. As a result, important differences are likely to be found in the understanding and acceptance of these policies on different campuses. The hypotheses were tested using a sample of 6,096 students from thirty-one US colleges and universities. Initial sample selection focused on thirty-three institutions that had participated in a conference on honor systems held at Princeton University in 1988, and fourteen institutions with honor codes ultimately indicated a willingness to participate.