University students plagiarize for various reasons, including different social norms where they come from, heavy workloads that lead to poor time management, and lack of skills like unfamiliarity with citation conventions. Those without proficiency in the language of instruction may plagiarize unintentionally due to language barriers. Academics emphasize ethics because plagiarism damages universities' reputations, and it is important for guidelines to educate unintentional plagiarists but also penalize deliberate violations.

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Widespread plagiarism is of considerable concern to
universities and academics who often emphasise the moral
and ethical aspects of the problem. Discuss the factors that
lead university students to plagiarise and explain why
ethical considerations are so important to academics.
Details: Referencing style APA 6th
Alexander D. Gonzalez,-GONAD1403

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Nowadays in universities there is a huge concern that some students want to
achieve good outcomes by plagiarising with intentionally or unintentionally.
Eret and Gokmenoglu (2010) state that “being a growing problem, plagiarism is
generally defined as “literary theft” and “academic dishonesty” in the
literature, and it is really crucial to be well-informed on this topic to prevent
the problem and stick to the ethical norms” (p.3303). In this essay is argued
that problems that students have in university, include different societal
norms, work overload or poor self-confidence. Secondly, lack of skills is one of
the main reasons about why students plagiarise. Additionally, some of them
try to use coping strategies, and finally they plagiarise, abuse collaboration
which results in collusion. Conjointly, this paper explains how ethical
considerations are fundamental to support academics, and also students, by
providing the appropriate guidance.
It is a well-known fact that some university students plagiarise research, essays
or other types of tasks. The reasons are simple or more complicated depending
on what type of students are under investigation. According to Ting (2014), the
trend to steal intellectual ownership and assignation can be done by students
with different societal norms. It depends on which country students come
from, with some of them it is not place importance with regards cheating or
plagiarism. Furthermore, other reasons why people plagiarise is they have an
excessive amount of duties, deadlines, or they are disrespectful or
disinterested in their tasks (Eret & Tuba 2010). This shows that poor time
management or simply excessive laziness play another role regarding to deceit
in assignments or academic assessments. Thirdly, Stappenbelt, Rowles, and
May (2010), research showed being inexperienced or unsure, can be seen as
the most repeated words that students choose to explain why they copy text.
It can mean that some students do not trust in their own capabilities,
capacities or skills, or sometimes they are simply under lot of pressure or
perhaps they prefer to go directly the easiest way, without considering
whether they can to do it themselves or with a little support. Having explored
this reasons students plagiarise, such as different societal norms, ignorance of
the subject or insufficient training, it is now necessary to examine the main
reasons why students cheat.

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Lack of academic skills is one the main reasons why undergraduate plagiarise.
In present society some people study abroad, or as in other situations when
insufficient academic abilities or ignorance shows a considerable challenge
regarding students’ plagiarising. Ting (2014), stated that ”the studies on
plagiarism in academic writing have pointed to lack of knowledge of citations
and referencing conventions, lack of language proficiency and perceptions that
plagiarism is not wrong as factors leading to plagiarism”(p.76). They could be
either local and international students, the first especially focuses on ignorance
about citing and referencing, and international students may fall into both,
taking in account that foreign students normally need to gather more
vocabulary and grammar skills, and some native students have no word and
communication facility. According to Phan (as cited in Ting, Musa & Mah, 2014)
involuntary stealing can be caused by inadequate education. Sometimes
students just pass high school and then, still following with apathetic approach
effort, they dedicate insufficient time to study, and therefore the only way to
do their task would be unethical. Finally Song-Turner (as cited in Stappenbelt,
Rowles, & May, 2010), stated that plagiarising issues in foreign students are a
result of lack of skills or language problems. Generally students who English is
second language, sometimes they will be tempted to cheat instead working
harder and asking for support, as a way to learn and gain knowledge using
their own effort rather than looking for just result in an easy without sacrifice.
Definitely, students who lack the necessary skills or knowledge could trend to
plagiarise instead working harder and seeking help or collaborating with other,
but having awareness that too much collaboration could viewed as collusion.
Collusion can be viewed as another main reason why scholars plagiarise.
Students who have difficulties in their assignments could seek guidance.
Sometimes this collaboration is seen as the easiest way to approach of
achieving very good outcomes and people could abuse of this help and
becoming in collusion. According to Carrol and Appleton (as cited in
Sutherland-Smith, 2013,p.51),“almost everyone has difficulty identifying where
collaboration stops and collusion begins“. Frequently students do not know
where the line is between help and collusion, and how to use this support for
achieving more knowledge instead only the academic result. Furthermore, if
whole or part of an assignment is the result of illegitimate help, or it is very
similar to another student’s work, this submission is considered to be collusion
(Sutherland-Smith, 2013). Students can ask for support, but always in the best

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manner to complete their tasks, but they should not use another’s
information, for working less, or simply because they do not understand how
to do something. This is due to the fact that by doing it, they will finish the
work without gaining any knowledge or skills, or even academic misconduct.
Moreover, Sutherland-Smith (2013) stated that often educational aspirations
of universities are negatively affected by actions managing the collusion. It is
very difficult handling this issue because sometimes universities‘ goals are in
relation with learning, but excessive collaboration would show that students
have not gained knowledge and they will be less prepared when finishing their
academic careers, and universities' reputation will be damaged. It is crucial
that students know the difference between collaboration and collusion,
moreover, universities‘ should create stricter barriers, supporting them with an
ethics codes, or punishment procedures if students do not meet with academic
integrity.
Academic integrity is important for lecturers because is the support that they
have for fighting against scholarly misconduct. It leads them and students in
the right direction academically speaking. . Academics and students must
ensure the best standards of academic conduct are observed for the
reputation of the University (Griffith University, n.d.). If from the outside is
seen that academic integrity is key in universities, it will achieve better
prestige. Checking actual habits and recognising that moral considerations are
taken to make decisions about plagiarism issues is important to develop a
framework to deal with them (East, 2009). It is important that there are
guidelines so as able to avoid misconduct and if academic misconduct occurs,
to have knowledge about possible punishments considerations. Besides,
feelings will be incited when plagiarism is accepted as a moral problem (East,
2009). Students and academics could react emotionally against plagiarism,
consequently it would be easier to avoid it. According to East (2009), “if
plagiarism is seen as a breach of convention, students who plagiarise are likely
to be seen in need of education; on the other hand, when plagiarism is
positioned as a moral problem … , transgressors are vulnerable to being judged
and penalised from an emotional reaction” (p.81). Students who plagiarise and
do not meet the rules, likely without knowledge, they should learn why they
are doing it wrong and how must be done; otherwise people who do
plagiarism knowing it, they will be examined and depending on seriousness of
the facts, penalized.

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In conclusion plagiarism is a very difficult issue to deal with. It is already known
that there are several reasons why students plagiarise such as different social
norms, work overload or laziness, and inexperience to name a few.
Additionally, lack of skills in its different manners such as lack of language
proficiency, English as a second language or ignorance about citation or
referencing can be another. Furthermore students who are looking for coping
strategies, can find it in support from others but they must also take care with
collusion. The most supportive thing for academics can follow guidelines or
code of ethics, which shows the moral way that students and academics must
keep track of.

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REFERENCES
East, J. (2009). Judging plagiarism: A problem of morality and convention.
Springer Science+Business Media, 59, 69-83. doi:10.1007/s10734-009-
9234-9
Eret, E., & Gokmenoglu, T. (2010). Plagiarism in higher education: A case study
with prospective academicians. Procedia Social and Behavioral
Sciences,(2),3303-3307. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.03.505
Griffith University. (n.d.). Why academic integrity matters. Retrieved from
http://www.griffith.edu.au/academic-integrity/policy-governance/why-
academic-integrity-matters
Stappenbelt, B., Rowles, C., & May, E. (2009). Cultural influence on attitudes to
plagiarism. School of Mechanical Engineering The University of Western
Australia.
Sutherland–Smith, W. (2013). Crossing the line: Collusion or collaboration in
university group work? Australian Universities Review, 55(1), 51-58.
Ting, S., Musa, M., & Mah, F. (2014). Plagiarism norms and practices in
coursework assignments. International Journal of Education, 6(1), 73-89.
doi:10.5296/ije.v6i1.4676