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Science Fairs: What Are the Sources of Help for Students and How Prevalent Is Cheating?
Author(s) -
Syer Cassidy A.,
Shore Bruce M.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
school science and mathematics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.135
H-Index - 2
eISSN - 1949-8594
pISSN - 0036-6803
DOI - 10.1111/j.1949-8594.2001.tb18023.x
Subject(s) - cheating , obstacle , mathematics education , psychology , pedagogy , social psychology , political science , law
This study examined the sources and kinds of help that students who were required to participate in science fairs considered fair and reasonable and the kinds of help they actually received for their project. In addition, the possibility of cheating was explicitly probed. A previously reported gap between potential and actual sources and kinds of help was confirmed, and 5 of the 24 students whose participation was required in a science fair admitted to making up their data or results. Pressure of time was the most highly reported obstacle faced by all students. Although 5 students cheated, one demonstrated a strong sense of right and wrong, but all the students who cheated lacked or did not make use of adaptive strategies.