Students will "declare that cheating is immoral," but on the other hand they do not always "perceive plagiarism as a serious misdemeanor" (East, 71). Students tend to view success as far more important than "avoiding plagiarism," East continues. Part of the thrust for this cavalier attitude is that students' benefits are "beyond the university" and they see themselves needing to graduate and move on, East continues.

What type of student is most likely to plagiarize? East contends that if this were known, it could help universities weed out those cheaters. But while there is "little agreement" in that regard, some studies suggest students with "high grades" might plagiarize to keep that grade point up. Others suggest students with low grades would more likely cheat, and still others believe postgraduates are "less likely to cheat because they are motivated to learn" (East, 72). The author suggests that faculty needs to make...
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