Undergraduate students' knowledge of copyright infringement

Abstract

This study examined undergraduate students’ knowledge of copyright infringement at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was adopted. Three hundred and seventy-two (372) undergraduate students randomly selected from twelve universities constituted the sample for the study. Four research questions were developed and answered and data was collected through a self-designed questionnaire. The findings demonstrate that the majority of the respondents are aware of copyright infringement and have strong perception that copyright infringement is a form of intellectual dishonesty. In addition, the results indicate that downloading content from the internet without permission from the owner is the major way through which undergraduates mostly infringed on the copyright. The findings also show that high cost of textbook is a contributing factor that leads students to infringe on copyright law, followed by scarcity of materials, fear of scoring poor marks, lack of awareness and overarching curricula while the desire to defy authority had the least influence. The increasing awareness of copyright law and possible punishment for violating the law was rated as the most fundamental way of reducing copyright infringement. The only hypothesis tested in the study revealed a significant difference in the perception of undergraduate students on copyright infringement based on their academic level with (Chi Cal. = 740.85, df=16, chi table= 26.30 at 0.05 level of significant difference). Upon these findings, the study recommends that author and publishers should try to reduce the cost of their textbooks. In addition, libraries in higher institutions should be well equipped with enough and relevant printed/literary resources. These should be readily available and accessible to the students when needed, in order to help reducing the rate of piracy and photocopying in higher institutions.