Plagiarism conundrum in Kenyan universities: an impediment to quality research
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/DLP-08-2022-0058 |
| Published date | 27 December 2022 |
| Date | 27 December 2022 |
| Pages | 145-165 |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Librarianship/library management,Library technology,Records management & preservation,Information repositories |
| Author | Joel Nakitare,Fredrick Otike |
Plagiarism conundrum in Kenyan
universities: an impediment to
quality research
Joel Nakitare
University Library, Rongo University, Rongo, Kenya, and
Fredrick Otike
Institute of Library and Information Science, Faculty of Humanities, Eötvös
Lor
and University, Budapest, Hungary and University Library,
Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, Nyeri, Kenya
Abstract
Purpose –Plagiarism has been on the rise, mainly because of increased access to the internet and
digital sources. To combat the threat of plagiarism, various universities have imple mented
countermeasures such as capacity building, anti-plagiarism policie s and the purchase of anti-plagiarism
software. In Kenya, there appears to be a lack of cohesion among universities in combating plagiarism, a
situation that threatens teaching, learning and research if not addressed adequately. This pa per aims to
review and identify anti-plagiarism practices in Kenyan universities; it further propose d various best
practices and policy actions that ought to be adopted to win the fight and the mispercept ion of
plagiarism.
Design/methodology/approach –This study adopted a mixed-method approach by surveying the
librarians and interviewing the graduate school directors or deans to establish the strength and
challenges in implementing plagiarism measures in the universities in Kenya. Before col lecting data, the
researcher checked the reliability of the tools by pretesting and readjusting the tools based on input
from the participants.
Findings –This study established that most universities in Kenya appreciate the fact that plagiarism
negatively affects the quality of teaching, learning and research. However, despite the fact that there is
goodwill in the effortto combat plagiarism, there were no unified mechanisms, strategiesand implementation
policies in solving plagiarism issues among universities in Kenya. Different universities have adopted
different strategies in terms of policy,software and capacity. Further, it was noted that the well-established/
funded universities had clear stipulated mechanisms as opposed to the ill-funded universities with limited
funding andbudget.
Practical implications –This research provides an opportunity for universities to make an informed
choice about the policies, required capacity and softwareto tackle plagiarism. The findings from the study
will be used to improve the quality of academic writing and standardize procedures on plagiarism by
proposing policy actions needed to maximize the benefits of the investments in this venture. This study
recommendsa collaborations approach among universitiesin the fight againstplagiarism. Because the Kenya
Library and Information ServicesConsortium already supports many university cooperation, theyought to
take the initiative in formulating policy, choosing the appropriate software to use and developing the
necessaryability in the battle against plagiarism.
Originality/value –To the best of the authors’knowledge,this study is the first effort to evaluate the anti-
plagiarism strategiesbeing applied in different universities in Kenya. This studydemonstrates the gaps and
variations in universitystrategies in combating academic plagiarism.The findings can be applied to improve
academiccommunication and indeed the quality of researchoutput at other universities in Kenya and beyond.
Keywords Plagiarism, Anti-plagiarism, Academic writing, Copyright, Academic honesty,
Quality research
Paper type Research paper
Plagiarism
conundrum
145
Received2 August 2022
Revised11 October 2022
Accepted28 November 2022
DigitalLibrary Perspectives
Vol.39 No. 2, 2023
pp. 145-165
© Emerald Publishing Limited
2059-5816
DOI 10.1108/DLP-08-2022-0058
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
https://www.emerald.com/insight/2059-5816.htm
Introduction
The seriousness of plagiarism in academic pursuit can be related to its original meaning;
Sutherland-smith (2011), citing Mallon (1989), opines that the word plagiarism originally
came from the Latin word plagium, which means the kidnapping of words. Plagiarism is
considered academic dishonesty and can be manifested in various forms. In most cases, it
occurs when one uses someone else’s ideas or works without acknowledging them and
implying that they are their own. Youmans (2011) notes that plagiarism occurs when a
student uses another person’s words or ideas without properly crediting their source, an
offense that most universityofficials consider to be a serious breach of appropriate academic
conduct. As such, cited sources mustbe acknowledged and referenced; otherwise, they will
be considered plagiarism. For example, copying or presenting someone else’s written,
artistic or other creative work, either in part or whole, as your own or without
acknowledging the source or the author, stealing other people’s ideas (Masic Izet, 2014).
According to Gullifer and Tyson (2014), it is critical to clearly define the term “plagiarism”
because most students unintentionally plagiarize due to a misunderstanding of the terms
“plagiarism”and “cheating.”El Bairi et al. (2022) note that students who have not received
training on plagiarismare more likely to engage in plagiarism.
There has been a significant increase in plagiarismin almost all spheres in recent years.
This is despite the fact that many countries and professional organizations regard
plagiarism as academic misconduct. The rise in plagiarism cases has been attributed to a
variety of factors, including poor writing skills; lack of knowledge about policy; laziness
among students and researchers; poor command of English; lack of adequate time to
complete given assignments; unfamiliarity with the repercussions that are associated with
plagiarism; reliance of students and researchers on commercial bureaus and profit-making
businesses that lure academicians to pay for easy and fast research services; the increased
use of information and communication technology (ICT) in writing has made it easier to
copy and paste; and finally, the pressure to publish or perform under publish or perish
clarion (Abbasi et al.,2021;Moss et al., 2018). El Bairi et al. (2022) argue that plagiarism is
associated with lackof adequate writing and paraphrasing skills.
In scholarly communication, indulgingin plagiarism is serious misconduct that violates
the basic principles of science. Therefore,it is highly discouraged and severely punished to
encourage academic integrity.For example, students in many universities who get detected
face harsh sanctions like suspension, missing graduation or having to redo classes
(Mbonyinshuti, 2020).This is because plagiarism affects the reputation of the researcher,the
institution and the whole purpose of research. However, despite the detrimental effects of
plagiarism, the practice is still highlyprevalent in many levels of education and research. In
Kenya, there seems to be a lack of cohesion among universities on the appropriate ways
plagiarism should be handledin universities; the fight against plagiarism is not being given
the ultimate attention it deserves, a situation that is likely to jeopardize teaching, learning,
research and innovationpractice in Kenyan universities if not adequately addressed.
Literature review
Extent of plagiarism in literature
Plagiarism has become the focus of many academicdiscussions and is a hot topic for many
researchers. This is because plagiarism has devastating consequences for researchers and
institutions at large as it destroysthe reputation of individuals and the associated institution
to irreparable levels. Furthermore, plagiarism infringes the rights of the creators of content,
and violators can be prosecuted under copyright laws. Levine and Pazdernik (2018) argue
that plagiarism leads to losing opportunities like student scholarships, jobs and career
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