Cyber-Plagiarism Behaviour of Female LIS Postgraduate Students in Nigerian Universities: Role of Religiosity

Abstract

The study analysed the cyber-plagiarism behaviour of female LIS postgraduate students in universities in South-west Nigeria. Issues such as fabrication, copy-paste, software piracy and copyright violations are considered as examples of cyber-plagiarism. Previous studies have linked plagiarism to peer pressure, institutional policies, poor writing skills, research illiteracy and gave limited attention to religiosity and cyber-plagiarism. Descriptive survey with mixed method approach was adopted, and the population involved 356 female LIS postgraduate students. Both questionnaire and interview guide were the instruments used to elicit data. In the quantitative data, out of the 356 copies of questionnaire administered, only 287 (80.6%) copies were found usable for analysis. Six participants were purposively focused for the qualitative information. Findings revealedthatthe level of cyber-plagiarism behaviour among respondents (x̄= 2.92) was moderate and maintained high level of religiosity (x̄ = 3.10). The result of the hypothesis showed that religiosity indices (values, practices and experiences) have positive joint influence on cyber-plagiarism behaviour among female LIS postgraduate students in universities in South-West, Nigeria (28.4%: Adj. R2 = 0.28). Religiosity is found to be a tool for deterring female LIS postgraduate students in Nigerian universities from engaging in cyber-plagiarism act. The need to improve on the sensitization programme and reinforcement of religious values that discourage students from engaging in unethical behaviour while working in cyberspace were recommended.