CAUSES OF CHEATING BEHAVIOR IN EXAMINATION AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Abstract

Cheating in exams has now become a common practice in schools, especially among secondary school students. Students use unfair means to gain high scores in exams and to achieve more than they actually deserve. Students now-a-days will contribute more time in preparing cheating materials rather than to practice for exams. Teachers are the ones who are with the students throughout the academic year, thus having the more insight of as to what could be the possible reasons behind the unethical cheating behavior of secondary grade students. The present study is based on the quantitative research method with survey questionnaires to determine the teachers’ perception of the major causes of cheating among the students of the secondary schools in Karachi. The result of the research study unfolds the fear of failing in exams to be the major reason of academic dishonesty among secondary school students. The research study also compares the three major factors (students, institution/teacher and peer/parent) to be involved in student’s cheating behavior in some ways and marks the students’ characteristics factor to be the main factor of students’ exam malpractice. The implications of this research study can be used to develop suitable methods to minimize the cheating practice in secondary school student.