Education - Academic Dishonesty Academic Thesis

The Results of Academic Dishonesty:

Academic dishonesty in the form of cheating on exams hurts the students involved because they do not have to learn the class subject matter. Likewise, students who plagiarize material or use professional academic ghostwriters fail to learn how to write in addition to violating the copyrights of original authors (Slobogin 2002). Some of the worst consequences of academic dishonesty include the unfair competition in classes where students who do their own work and follow the rules of academic honesty receive grades that are reduced by virtue of the bell curve grading system. In the wider perspective, academic dishonesty is also harmful to the professional community because students receive employment offers based on assumptions made by employers about their abilities based on grades that were not earned honestly.

Furthermore, students who increase their grade point averages by cheating may receive job offers that should have been given to students with slightly lower grades that they earned honestly.Finally, academic dishonesty also harms the academic institution where unqualified graduates perform poorly in the work environment, lowering the perceived reputation of the schools from whom they present degrees and other credentials.

References

Boon, M. (2003). Student Cheating Rises at Stanford: Educational Outreach, Overhaul of Disciplinary System May be Contributing Factors. Retrieved December 30, 2008, from the Palo Alto Weekly Online website, at www.paloaltoonline.com/weekly/morgue/2003/2003_04_11.cheating11.html

Innerst, C. (1998). Universities Retreat in War on Cheating. Washington Times, January. 29, 2004. Retrieved December 30, 2008 from the National Center for Policy Analysis website, at www.ncpa.org/pi/edu/jan98o.html

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. (2004). Internet Gives Rise to a Bold New Era in College-

Student Cheating

January 19, 2004; pg. 1.A).

Slobogin, K. (2002). Survey: Many Students Say Cheating "OK." Retrieved December 30, 2008, from the CNN.com website, at www.cnn.com/2002/fyi/teachers.ednews/04/05/highschool.cheating.....