Pharmacy students' attitude towards academic dishonesty

Abstract

Introduction: Academic honesty is an ethical principle based on openness, confidence, respect, integrity,and responsibility,applicable to academic activities. Academic dishonesty is a relevant problem pervading all areas of science and education. A high number of studies showed a direct relationship between the way students behave at education institutions and how often they tend to be ethical and honest in their work environment. The main aim of the study was to explore the attitude of pharmacy students towards academic dishonesty. Materials and methods: Qualitative and quantitative methods were combined. First stage: interviews with 13 fifth-year pharmacy students helped identify the reasons for cheating, attitude towards cheating colleagues, and expectations of academic regulations. Second stage: The questionnaire was created based on qualitative research and distributed among first to third-year pharmacy students. Results: Academic dishonesty is widespread among pharmacy students (97.8%). Students are distributed into two main categories: those with a long cheating experience (since high school, 85.1%) and those who started cheating recently at the university (14.9%). The most common way of cheating is through using additional means (notes, drawers, mobile phones, smart bracelets, etc.) during lectures and exams (67%). Another prevalent way of cheating is to copy other students 'work (75.8%). The most uncommon means of cheating is buying various tasks for money (3.3%). Regardless of the average and the course, the main factors for cheating are good grades (62.7%) and excessive workload (76.9%). The most effective preventive measure of academic dishonesty is teachers’ attention to all educational activities (32%). Students’ expulsion from university is too strict and ineffective as a preventive measure (3%). Conclusions: Academic dishonesty is a very relevant problem among students, manifested in various ways of cheating due to different incentives. It is necessary to take new preventive measures to avoid this problem and encourage students to be honest academically.