The Postgraduate Students’ Awareness of Forms of Plagiarism and their Effects on Academic Reputation in Selected Public Universities, Kenya
Keywords:
Plagiarism, Forms of Plagiarism Consequences of PlagiarismAbstract
Abstract
The standard of original, plagiarism-free research conducted by universities determines academic accomplishment. It emphasizes the caliber of the study and backs the university's initiatives to convey its significance on a global scale. A university can build a strong reputation and generate qualified individuals who aid in the advancement of society. The objectives were knowledge on forms of plagiarism and their effects and consequences of plagiarism. The study adopted descriptive research design using a survey approach. The locale was at Kenyatta University, Karatina University, and Dedan Kimathi University of Technology. The target population was 247 from three schools in the three public universities. Sample size for students was 200, 60 lecturers and three Anti-plagiarism software administrators. The study adapted stratified sampling technique. Purposive sampling was also used to determine sample size from lecturers and Anti-plagiarism software administrators. Quantitative and qualitative data was collected through self- dministered questionnaires and interview schedules respectively. The study was grounded on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), which served as its foundation. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistical methods. The results of the study indicated that most of the postgraduate students were not exclusively aware of all forms of plagiarism had a reasonable understanding of the different penalties associated with plagiarism. It was recommended that, a campaign should be practiced to raise the level of awareness on forms of plagiarism and its effects. The study suggested that university management should also provide researchers with continuous sensitization through workshops and training on a variety of topics, such as how to improve academic writing abilities and steer clear of plagiarism.
Keywords: Plagiarism, Forms of Plagiarism, Consequences of Plagiarism, Reputation of Academic Institution
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Lucy Wanene Mugera, Zipporah Wanjiku Gichuhi, George Gitau Njoroge
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material
Under the following terms:
- Attribution — Users must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. They may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests that you endorse them or their use.
- Non-Commercial — Users may not use the material for commercial purposes.
- No additional restrictions — Users may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
