Knowledge, Attitudes, and Reasons for Plagiarism Among Graduate English Language Students in Iran

چکیده مقاله

Plagiarism is a significant concern in academic settings worldwide, with implications for educational integrity and student development. In English as a Foreign Language (EFL) educational contexts, understanding plagiarism can be particularly challenging due to linguistic and cultural differences. This study sought to probe Iranian EFL students' perceptions of plagiarism, their knowledge of and attitudes toward it, as well as the reasons for the acts of plagiarism. In so doing, 200 graduate EFL students answered a questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were employed to present the results. The findings demonstrated that the participants lacked awareness and understanding of what constitutes plagiarism. Many students were found to have a low level of knowledge about plagiarism, and they did not recognize certain acts as plagiarism. The results also provided insights into the reasons for plagiarism. Specifically, most of them believed that they might commit plagiarism as a result of the difficulty of some assignments and a poor understanding of plagiarism. The findings suggest a need for comprehensive education and awareness programs to harness students' understanding of academic integrity. This study adds to the literature on academic integrity in diverse educational contexts and highlights the importance of culturally sensitive approaches to teaching ethical academic practices.