University of Rijeka. Faculty of Medicine. Department of Medical Informatics.
Abstract
Cilj istraživanja. Utvrditi pojavnost i učestalost prisvajanja autorskoga vlasništva u studenata medicine te ispitati stajališta o akademskoj čestitosti i autorskom vlasništvu. Ispitanici i metode. Istraživanje obuhvaća 295 studenata druge godine studija medicine (63% žene) tijekom tri akademske godine. Pojavnost plagiranja ispitana je na modelu studentskih seminarskih radova s pomoću programske potpore za otkrivanje prepisanog teksta. Studentske skupine u tri akademske godine razlikuju se u upozorenju o zabrani plagiranja. Prva skupina bila je upozorena da rad treba biti autorsko djelo, sljedećoj skupini istaknuta je i zabrana prepisivanja, a posljednja skupina upozorena je da će se radovi kontrolirati i prekršitelji kazniti. Stajališta studenata o akademskoj nečestitosti ispitana su s pomoću upitnika na primjeru priča u kojima se opisuju postupci: samoplagiranje, plagiranje uz privolu i bez privole autora, plagiranje od podređenog, ispitna prijevara i izdavanje nalaza bez učinjenog pregleda. Anonimnim upitnikom ispitana su i opća stajališta o autorskom vlasništvu i akademskoj čestitosti. Rezultati. Studenti su u svojim radovima prosječno prepisivali 7% (5.95. percentila=084%) teksta. Na udio prepisanog teksta utjecalo je samo upozorenje o kontroli radova i posljedičnoj kazni, upozoreni studenti prepisivali su znatno manje (2% naspram 17% i 21%, P<0,001). Većina studenata (6790%) slučajeve plagiranja smatra neispravnim no i opravdanim (2155%). Većina ispitanika slučaj samoplagiranja smatra ispravnim (65%) i opravdanim (75%). Četvrtina ispitanika postupak prepisivanja na ispitu smatra ispravnim, polovina opravdanim i nepotrebnim kazniti. Približno polovina studenata počinila bi postupke opisane u pričama (3966%) u određenim okolnostima, a do 46% svjedočilo je sličnim postupcima u svojoj okolini. Opća stajališta o akademskoj čestitosti u dvije trećine studenata su prihvatljiva, ali se trebaju promatrati u svjetlu socijalno poželjnih odgovora.
Zaključak. Plagiranje je prisutno u studenata medicine i samo se upozorenjem o kontroli radova nepristranim postupkom i prijetnjom kazne smanjuje udio prepisanog teksta. Stajališta studenata medicine o povredama akademske čestitosti zabrinjavajuća su i ukazuju na potrebu izobrazbe studenata o akademskoj čestitosti.Aim. To determine the prevalence of plagiarism among medical students and investigate students’ attitudes towards academic integrity and intellectual property. Subjects and methods. During the three academic years, 295 secondyear medical students (63% women) attending a mandatory course in Medical Informatics wrote an essay based on one of the four scientific articles offered as template. The essays were examined by WCopyfind software for plagiarism detection and the rates of plagiarism were calculated. The first generation of students was warned that the essay was expected to be an original paper, the second generation was strictly prohibited to copy, and the third generation received an additional warning that the essays would be examined by plagiarism detection software and the students who had plagiarized would be punished. Furthermore, students’ attitudes towards six fictitious scenarios were investigated as follows: the case of self plagiarism three cases of plagiarism (copying an essay from a fellowstudent with and without his or her consent and a professor copying from his junior associate), cheating on exams, and issuing a false medical report. Finally, general attitudes towards intellectual property and academic integrity have been examined by a sixitem questionnaire.
Results. The average plagiarism rate was 7% (5th95th percentile=084%). Students warned about the use of plagiarism detection software and the consequent penalties plagiarized less (2% vs. 17% vs. 21%, P<0,001). Although plagiarism cases were considered inappropriate by majority of students (6790%, depending on case), a quarter to half of them found these acts justified. Majority of students found case of selfplagiarism appropriate (65%) and justified (75%). Quarter of students found the case of cheating appropriate and half of them thought it was justified and deserved no penalty. Approximately half of the students (3966%) would act as described in the scenarios, if the need be, and up to 46% witnessed similar cases in their environment. Attitudes towards academic integrity in twothirds of students could be described as appropriate. Discrepancy between student behavior and attitudes implied that some answers were given as socially desirable.
Conclusions. Plagiarism is present among medical students. If there is no plagiarism detection software and penalty threat, plagiarism among students may be expected. Medical students’ attitudes toward academic integrity are disturbing. Students need clear guidelines and further education on academic and scientific integrity
