Student's Attitude about Cheating and its Confronting Strategies

Cheating as one of the important threatening factors of learning is widespread among students. The aim of this study was to determine the students’ views about of cheating and its coping strategies. Instrument & In this descriptive analytical study، 169 undergraduate students of Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences in the second semester of 2013-14 academic year were selected by available sampling method. Data were collected through a researcher-made questionnaire and were analyzed by descriptive (mean، standard deviation and absolute and relative frequency distribution) and analytic (Chi-square and One-way ANOVA) statistic tests in SPSS 11. 5 software. 45% of students have experienced cheating. High amounts of texts (51. 2%) and difficult texts (46. 1%) were the most important cheating factors. Individual conscience (35. 3%) and personal beliefs (33. 3%) were the most important inhibiting factors of cheating. Looking down on others or expose the paper، send and receive answers to questions through gestures and send answers to questions orally، were the common methods of cheating. Unethical phenomenon of cheating needs more attention from masters، educational administrators and researchers. However، many types of cheatings can be controlled by legislation، training and educational management.