Abstract
This study investigates the effect of plagiarism detection software awareness on the quality of research projects among science education students at Federal University Otuoke. The study utilized a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest approach, involving a population of 745 science education students and a sample size of 107 final-year students from Physics and Chemistry education programs. Data were collected using a plagiarism detection checklist (PDCL) and analyzed using difference-in-differences analysis and z-tests. Results showed a significant improvement in research quality after raising awareness about plagiarism detection software, with a mean difference of 23.25 in research scores. The null hypothesis of no mean difference in research quality before and after awareness was rejected. However, no significant gender difference in research quality was found. The findings suggest that increasing awareness of plagiarism detection tools enhances the originality and quality of student research outputs.
Keywords: Plagiarism Detection Software, Academic Integrity, Research Quality, Science Education, Awareness Promotion
Publication Date: 2024-12-08