Awareness and Perception of Plagiarism among Undergraduate Students in Private Universities in Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study explores the awareness and perception of plagiarism among final-year undergraduate students in private universities in Edo State, Nigeria. With academic dishonesty increasingly threatening educational integrity, the study aimed to assess students’ understanding of plagiarism and their attitudes toward it. A descriptive survey design was used, and a sample of 385 students was selected from a population of 9,436 using the Krejcie and Morgan sample size determination table. Five departments were purposively selected across five private universities due to their focus on academic writing. Data were collected through a validated structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings revealed a high level of plagiarism awareness among students, with an aggregate mean of 4.31 (SD = 0.86), exceeding the criterion mean of 2.50. Students also demonstrated a strong negative perception of plagiarism, with an aggregate mean of 4.30 (SD = 0.84). A moderate positive and statistically significant correlation (r = 0.42, p < 0.01) was observed between plagiarism awareness and perception. The study concludes that students who are more aware of plagiarism are more likely to perceive it as unethical. It recommends integrating academic integrity education into the curriculum, strengthening institutional policies, and increasing the use of plagiarism detection tools to promote responsible scholarship.