Academic integrity: South African and American university students

This study explores the extent to which academic integrity is upheld in the academic endeavours of South African and American university students. The study further examines the degree of difference in the extent academic integrity between the two sets of sample was maintained. The prevalence of academic integrity was determined on the basis of the extent participants admitted to having engaged in plagiarism and academic misconduct in its various manifestations. The findings of the present study clearly confirm that indeed academic dishonesty is widely practised by both South African and American university students. The extent to which this held true varied from one item to another of the sixteen questionnaire statements with the highest score being in items related to plagiarism. Overall, 12% South Africans and 14% Americans engaged in academic dishonesty. The rate at which academic dishonesty was reported was very low compared to what has been reported in other studies not only in the US, but also in other countries. As low as it may be, it is serious enough to call for attention in the form of bringing it under control so that the highest academic integrity is assured.