Internet-Based Text-Matching Software and EFL Preservice Teachers' Awareness of Academic Integrity

Abstract

Having been investigated from different perspectives across a broad range of disciplines, plagiarism in English as a Second Language (ESL)/English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts has not received much attention until very recently. This mixed-methods case study in the Turkish context is a critical analysis of EFL preservice teachers' perceptions, motives, knowledge of, and practices regarding plagiarism, as well as their academic integrity awareness and plagiarism detection ability in a freshman academic writing course at a state university. The quantitative data from the pre- and post-test questionnaires in the study were analyzed through descriptive statistics while the qualitative data from the questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with the preservice teachers were analyzed via thematic analysis. Findings suggested the favorable impact of Turnitin on preservice teachers' self-discovery to overcome and reduce possible plagiarism attempts in the Turkish context.