Academic Dishonesty
Explore the emerging trends in academic dishonesty for 2025. Discover how academic integrity is evolving and what measures are being taken to combat cheating and plagiarism in educational institutions.
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
Realyn Manalo
4/3/20253 min read
Is AI a helpful tool or just the newest way to cheat?
At the University of the Philippines Diliman, a heated debate is unfolding—and it might change how schools handle artificial intelligence forever. Some UP Diliman students are currently under investigation for allegedly using AI tools like ChatGPT to complete their academic work. Professors reported relying on AI detection software, which suggested that several submissions were likely AI-generated. Faculty members expressed grave concern, emphasizing that this constitutes academic dishonesty, with consequences ranging from a failing grade to possible expulsion.
However, not all students agree. Two Computer Engineering students publicly argued that AI, when used responsibly, acts as a learning aid rather than a shortcut. They believe AI should enhance understanding, not replace genuine effort. As investigations continue, a crucial question emerges: where should we draw the line between learning with AI and letting AI learn for us?
Who Can Use These Topics?
This research is ideal for students and professionals pursuing the following courses or strands:
College Programs:
BS Education Major in English, Mathematics, or Social Sciences
BA Philosophy
BS Information Technology
BS Computer Science
BS Psychology
BA Communication Arts
Senior High School Strands:
Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS)
Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM)
General Academic Strand (GAS)
Why This Topic Needs Research
Academic dishonesty is evolving in unpredictable ways with the rise of AI and other technologies. Several critical research gaps have surfaced:
Specific Types of Dishonesty Across Diverse Students: Previous research was limited to narrow demographics and failed to explore specific dishonest behaviors across academic years and faculties (Dewi et al., 2025).
Impact of Digital Technologies on Cheating Patterns: The role of AI and emerging digital tools in shaping new academic misconduct behaviors has not been sufficiently addressed in academic integrity policies (Ofem et al., 2025).
Influence of Cultural and Emotional Factors: While honesty-humility traits were studied, deeper cultural and emotional underpinnings of academic dishonesty need to be explored to create holistic prevention strategies (González Cruz et al., 2025).
Changing Student Perceptions of Authorship and Originality: Students’ evolving ideas of intellectual ownership in the AI era challenge traditional frameworks of academic dishonesty, yet research on this shift remains limited (Werse & Smith, 2025).
Psychological and Behavioral Mechanisms Beyond Procrastination: While procrastination was identified as a driver, other behavioral and emotional factors that influence academic dishonesty require closer study (Kurniawan et al., 2025).
Targeted Ethical and Emotional Development Programs: Efforts to curb dishonesty in challenging fields like mathematics could benefit from interventions that enhance emotional resilience and ethical reasoning (Buagayan et al., 2024).
Online Learning and Peer Influence Dynamics:
Research into the psychological and peer-related drivers of academic dishonesty in virtual environments remains shallow, leaving important questions unanswered (Perez et al., 2024).
Feasibility & Challenges by Target Group
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References
Buagayan, J. C., Cabuquin, J. C., Avila, N. B., & Gravoso, C. S. (2024). Prevalence and underlying factors influencing academic dishonesty in mathematics among students at a state university in the Philippines. Asian Journal of University Education, 20(3), 540-565.
Dewi, D. K., Nurwidawati, D., Agindaris, A. L., & Maureen, I. Y. (2025). Investigating Academic Dishonesty among Undergraduate Students: Do Gender and Majors Matter?. IJORER: International Journal of Recent Educational Research, 6(1), 56-65.
González Cruz, H., Fritz, T., Rudert, S. C., Daumiller, M., & Janke, S. (2025). Differential effects of honesty-humility and descriptive social norms across the seriousness dimension of academic dishonesty. Studies in Higher Education, 1-14.
Kurniawan, R. Y., Kamalia, P. U., Ranu, M. E., Marlena, N., Trisnawati, N., & Irawan, N. (2025). Towards Quality Education: Examining the Mediating Role of Procrastination in the Dynamics of Self-Efficacy, Economic Literacy, and Academic Dishonesty. Journal of Lifestyle and SDGs Review, 5(1), e04887-e04887.
Ofem, U. J., Ajuluchukwu, E. N., Edam-Agbor, I. B., Orim, F. S., Aquah, P., Umo, U. A., ... & Victor Ovat, S. (2025). Discussing the misnomer: Exploring multidimensional perception to academic dishonesty in Nigeria. Do school attributes really matter?. International Journal for Educational Integrity, 21(1), 11.
Perez, J., Zapanta, R. D., Heradura, R., & Napicol, S. (2024). The Drivers of Academic Cheating in Online Learning Among Filipino Undergraduate Students Jeannie A. Pereza*, Reinier Dave Zapantab, Rowena P. Heradurac, Silfa C. Napicold.
Werse, N., & Smith, J. (2025). Nothing New Under the Sun: Generative AI and Educator Anxiety over Academic Dishonesty. Impacting Education: Journal on Transforming Professional Practice, 10(1), 90-95.