Attitude of Postgraduate Students towards Plagiarism in University of Port Harcourt

Abstract

Plagiarism remains a threat to scientific integrity and development of knowledge. This study examined postgraduate students’ attitude towards plagiarism at the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Three research questions and corresponding hypotheses guided the study. The descriptive research design was used for the study with a sample size of 200 postgraduate students was drawn using the purposive non-random sampling technique, from a population size of 1762 postgraduate students of the University of Port Harcourt. A questionnaire titled "Attitude of Post- Graduate Students towards Plagiarism Questionnaire" (APSPQ) was used as an instrument for data collection. The instrument was validated by experts and the reliability of the instrument was determined using Cronbach alpha, Data was analyzed using mean, standard deviation, independent t-test and Two-way ANOVA at 0.05 level of significances. Findings revealed that most postgraduate students of the University of Port Harcourt had a positive attitude towards plagiarism, the male postgraduate student had a negative attitude towards plagiarism while the Master students had negative attitude towards plagiarism. Part of the recommendations was that the University of Port Harcourt from time to time should organize orientation programmes for all postgraduate students based on the concept as well as implications for plagiarism.