Adherence of students to the professional norms in academic research: a review of national survey findings

The purpose of this article was to examine adherence of Iranian public university students to the professional norms in academic research. In this study, the views of graduate students (n: 2373) at 10 universities affiliated with Ministry of Science, Research and Technology were evaluated. In this research, multiple methods including documentary study, survey and comparative analysis were used. Research instrument was made by incorporating recent views based on Robert Merton's view and 34 items scale developed by Katarina Prpic. Students reported more adherences to the academic norms than educational environment adherence to the norms. This finding revealed a significant gap between evaluation of students from themselves and academic environment in their adherence to the academic norms. Paired sample t-test taken on student's different views about their self-assessment and learning environment in adherence to professional norms by five scale items, indicated that adherence to scientific ethic had highest and academic generous and benevolent had lowest level of differences. Scores on the rules of academic action were at the second level, academic responsibility at the third level and academic perfectionism at fourth level of differences.