Cultural Values, Plagiarism, and Fairness: When Plagiarism Gets in the Way of Learning

TLDR

The dramatic increase in overseas students studying in the UK and other Western countries has prompted academics to reevaluate many aspects of their own and institutional practices. This article examines how differing cultural values among overseas students influence perceptions of plagiarism and the implications for postgraduate education in a Western context. The authors used focus‑group interviews, questionnaires, and informal discussions to gather students’ views on plagiarism in two postgraduate management programs with a high overseas student constituency. The study shows that plagiarism practices arise from complex, culturally situated influences and recommends that educators appreciate these differing cultural assumptions to respond ethically to plagiarism among international students.

Abstract

Abstract The dramatic increase in the number of overseas students studying in the United Kingdom and other Western countries has required academics to reevaluate many aspects of their own, and their institutions', practices. This article considers differing cultural values among overseas students toward plagiarism and the implications this may have for postgraduate education in a Western context. Based on focus-group interviews, questionnaires, and informal discussions, we report the views of plagiarism among students in 2 postgraduate management programs, both of which had a high constituency of overseas students. We show that plagiarist practices are often the outcome of many complex and culturally situated influences. We suggest that educators need to appreciate these differing cultural assumptions if they are to act in an ethical manner when responding to issues of plagiarism among international students.