Distance learners use online resources for their projects, assignments, and research papers. They complete their work on their own time and phase, and they even do it without the presence of an instructor. So, why do online college students still cheat?
In virtual learning, cheating is not as simple as copying your seatmate’s answers to a test. Often, it occurs when a student needs to submit research papers that require weeks of labor. Obviously, many choose to submit someone’s work as their own, and here are the reasons why.
Laziness and sloppiness
Students opt for a shorter route. Instead of conducting research, they look for paper mills or individuals who’d be willing to lend their thesis papers for a price. Sometimes, they even actually forget to change the name on the paper before giving it to their professors.
Procrastination that ends up in a panic
Many online college students procrastinate because they think they still have plenty of time before the due date. Before they know it, the deadline is just a couple of days away and they haven’t done anything for their project. As a result, they panic and decide to submit someone’s work as their own.
Misinterpretation of the word research
Students believe that learning is a process where educators and experts feed them with knowledge; hence, they assume that when they need to do research, they simply need to gather facts and ideas from written publications and collect them as one. They fail to cite sources and neglect to give credits where it is due.
Misconception about what learning truly means
Many people may argue that accidental plagiarism is a part of the learning curve. They believe that students who paraphrase an author’s written work is simply digesting the materials that are fairly new to them. Using an expert’s idea as guidance and inspiration is way different than imitating their work.
