Work

Validating the revised plagiarism attitude scale among Malaysian medical sciences students: a psychometric study in multilingual contexts

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: This study aims to validate the revised plagiarism attitude scale among Malaysian medical sciences students, particularly focusing on those for whom English is a second language (L2), to understand their perceptions and attitudes towards plagiarism. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 549 participants enrolled in medical science programs across Malaysia. METHODS: The research employed exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to assess the psychometric properties of the revised plagiarism attitude scale. Key dimensions identified include plagiarism triggers, rationalizing plagiarism, and perceptions of plagiarism severity. RESULTS: The scale exhibited high reliability and strong construct validity, with its item structure consistent with previous studies. The findings highlight the significant influence of linguistic and cultural factors on students' attitudes towards plagiarism. CONCLUSIONS: This research provides a reliable tool for assessing plagiarism behaviors in multilingual contexts and offers insights for developing targeted educational interventions aimed at enhancing linguistic competence and promoting academic integrity among future healthcare practitioners.

Source: BMC Medical Education

DOI: 10.1186/s12909-025-07161-3

Authors: Zhenxiao Zhang, Yang Liu, Hamid Sharif-Nia

Institutions: Hainan Vocational University of Science and Technology, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences

Language: English

Topic: Academic integrity and plagiarism

Subfield: Safety Research

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Quality education, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,990