Academic dishonesty and whistleblowing in a higher education institution: A sociological analysis

Abstract

High rates of academic dishonesty are a concern in South Africa and worldwide, and whistle-blowing is a mechanism that can be employed to curb its incidence. This study tested the relationship between factors that influence the willingness of students at a South African higher education institution to blow the whistle on perceived academic dishonesty. A sample of 405 undergraduate sociology students at a South African university completed the self-administered structured questionnaires. The study found that students who feared retaliation from wrongdoers were less likely to be willing to report severe academic dishonesty. Students who were more likely to report on both severe and less severe forms of wrongdoing were those with higher levels of general honesty, those with higher levels of academic honesty, and those who were highly influenced by adherence to principles when deciding whether to report.