Academic integrity during examinations, age and gender as predictors of academic performance among high school students

Abstract

The study sought to determine if students academic integrity during examinations, age and gender predict their academic performance and examine its implications for adopting preventive actions against cheating in examinations. It was based on the Modified Theory of Planned Behaviour. Analysis of data collected with the aid of Academic Integrity Measurement Instrument (AIMI) led to significant findings that Academic Integrity during examinations and Age significantly predict Academic Performance. There was significant predictive relationship between Age and Academic Integrity during examinations as well as between Age and Academic Performance. Also, there was a statistically significant difference between male and female students in the Academic Integrity during examinations as well as in their Academic Performances. Whereas mean Academic Integrity score of female students were slightly higher than that of the males; the mean Academic Performance of male students was higher than that of the female students. These findings have implications for test development, administration and students’ academic integrity policies and practices. Test developers and administrators should consider inclusion of a segment in the question papers that assess students’ academic integrity especially in developing countries like Nigeria. The essence of such inclusion is to determine the relationship between students academic integrity quotient and their academic performance. In other words, the authors strongly recommend to the examination bodies and stakeholders to consider the possibility of determining the proportion of a student’s academic performance attributable to academic dishonesty or honesty.