ABSTRACT
This study is aimed at assessing the students’ perceptions of examination malpractice in the Department of Nursing Science, University of Calabar. Three specific objectives, three research question and one null hypothesis were formulated to guide the study. Descriptive research design was adopted. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the class level of the students while simple random sampling was used to choose the required number of students in each class level. Out of the total population of 560 students from year two to year five in the department, 233 students were used for the study. A self-developed questionnaire (Students Perception of Examination Malpractice Questionnaire (SPEMQ)) in 4 point modified Likert type scale with reliability of 0.87 was used for data collection. The questionnaire was distributed to the students in the classroom setting with 98.71% return rate. Information derived from the questionnaire were subjected to descriptive and chi-square statistics testing at 0.05 level of significance. Results were presented in Table as frequencies and percentages. Findings revealed that Majority of the students’ nurses are females, the students demonstrated good understanding of examination ethics, the nursing students’ perception has no significance relationship (P-value > 0.05) with examination malpractice and that University authorities, academic staff and students are all contributory factors in the issue of examination malpractice in the Department of Nursing Science. The major forms of examination malpractice identified in the department of Nursing Science are copying or attempting to copy other students answers during examinations, Inscribing materials or information on body, dresses, handkerchief, rulers, purses, chairs, tables and on the examination hall, communication with fellow students during examination and Paying money to lecturers or other staffs to pass examinations (Sorting).In view of this, the implications for nursing education and practice were highlighted. It was recommendation amongst others that the Department and University authorities should enforce and adopted strategies for curbing examination mal practice in order to produce competent nursing who can rise above situation barriers in the society
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE i
CERTIFICATION ii
DEDICATION iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv
ABSTRACT v
TABLE OF CONTENTS vii
LIST OF TABLES ix
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study 1
1.2 Statement of Problem 5
1.3 Purpose of Study 6
1.4 Specific Objectives 6
1.5 Research Questions 7
1.6 Research Hypothesis 7
1.7 Scope of the Study 7
1.8 Significance of the Study 7
1.9 Limitation of the study 8
1.10 Operational Definition of Terms 8
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Conceptual Framework 10
2.1.1 The concept and purpose of examination 10
2.1.2 Meaning of examination malpractice 11
2.1.3 The concept of Perception 13
2.2 Factors Responsible for Examination Malpractice 14
2.3 Incidence and Forms of Examination Malpractice 15
2.4 Agents of Examination Malpractice 19
2.5 Reasons for the prevalence of Examination Malpractice 20
2.6 Effect of Examination Malpractice 21
2.7 Strategies for Curbing Examination Malpractice 22
2.8 Theoretical Framework 23
2.8.1 Deficit theory 23
2.8.2 Attribution theory 24
2.9 Related Empirical Studies 26
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODS
3.1 Research Design 29
3.2 Research Setting 29
3.3 Research Population 30
3.4 Sample 30
3.4.1 Inclusion Criteria 31
3.5 Sampling Techniques 32
3.6 Instrument for Data Collection 32
3.6.1 Validation of the Instrument 33
3.6.2 Reliability of the Instrument 33
3.7 Method of Data Collection 33
3.8 Ethical Consideration 34
3.9 Data Preparation 34
3.10 Methods for Data Analysis 35
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS PRESENTATION
4.1 Demographic Variables of the Respondents 37
4.2 Data Analysis to Answer Research Questions 39
4.2.1 Research Question One 39
4.2.2 Research Question Two 43
4.2.3 Research Question Three 49
4.3 Hypothesis Testing 52
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION, SUMMARY CONCLUSIONS,
IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Discussion of Findings 54
5.1.1 Students Perception of Examination Malpractice in Nursing
Science Department 54
5.1.2 Students Perception as regards factors influencing Examination
Malpractice in Nursing Science Department 55
5.1.3 Students Perception towards the forms of Examination Malpractice
in Nursing Science Department 56
5.2 Hypothesis Testing 57
5.3 Summary of the Study 58
5.4 Conclusions 60
5.5 Implications to Nursing 60
5.6 Recommendations 61
5.7 Suggestion for Further Studies 61
REFERENCES 63
APPENDICES 66
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Demographic Characteristics of the Respondents 37
Table 2: Question 1: What is the perception of students towards examination malpractices in the Department of Nursing Science? 39
Table 3: Summary of Responses on Students Perception of Examination Malpractice in the Department of Nursing 40
Table 4a: Problems posed by university authorities 41
Table 4b: Problems posed by lecturers 42
Table 4c: Problems posed by students 43
Table 5a: Problems posed by University Authorities 44
Table 5b: Problems posed by lecturers 46
Table 5c: Problems posed by students 48
Table 6: Question 3: What are various forms of examination malpractice student indulge in, in nursing science department? 50
Table 7: Summary of Response data for the various forms of Examination Malpractice in the Department of Nursing Science. 51
Table 8: Summary of Chi-square test Result for Research Question one. 53
