Plagiarism, from Carelessness to Crime. Perception of Undergraduate Students

Objective: To explore the perception of undergraduate students from a group of the Chemistry faculty regarding plagiarism, cyberplagiarism and their relationship with information sources. Theoretical Framework: Although the criminal code in Mexico indicates that plagiarism is a crime, there is evidence of it being a frequent event, we do not know the perception that undergraduate students have in relation to plagiarism, which is why it is necessary to investigate it. Method: Students from the Bachelor of Pharmacobiology and Chemistry participated voluntarily, and signed the informed consent. Participants were asked to write in free format what plagiarism/cyberplagiarism is and its relationship with information sources. Each document was then analyzed, identifying the terms used to consult their meaning in the Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy and their representation was developed. Results and Discussion: Students have different perceptions of what plagiarism is, from “carelessness” to “crime”, and only 40% of participants completed the work by identifying the relationship between Plagiarism and the Information Sources session. Implications of the research: The findings allow us to detect a need: to incorporate the topic of plagiarism into the program of each subject. This will allow students to be aware that plagiarism has consequences that can affect their future. Enabling students not to resort to plagiarism is a strengthening strategy that also contributes to the cognitive process of students. Originality/Value: This study provides, in the first instance, the perception of plagiarism among undergraduate students and detects a heterogeneity in its meaning and consequences. We propose active, teacher-led empowerment to learn how to manage time, prioritize activities, and collaborate with peers to counteract this crime.