Tella and Oyeyemi (2017)
Contents
Source Details
Tella and Oyeyemi (2017) | |
Title: | Undergraduate Students’ Knowledge of Copyright Infringement |
Author(s): | Adeyinka Tella, Francis Oyeyemi |
Year: | 2017 |
Citation: | Tella, A. and Oyeyemi, F. (2017) Undergraduate Students’ Knowledge of Copyright Infringement. Brazilian Journal of Information Studies: Research Trends. 11:2, p38-53 |
Link(s): | Definitive |
Key Related Studies: | |
Discipline: | |
Linked by: | Adum et al. (2019) |
About the Data | |
Data Description: | The study details a survey which was issued to undergraduate students at the University of Ilordin, of which there were 372 respondents. |
Data Type: | Primary data |
Secondary Data Sources: | |
Data Collection Methods: | |
Data Analysis Methods: | |
Industry(ies): | |
Country(ies): | |
Cross Country Study?: | No |
Comparative Study?: | No |
Literature review?: | No |
Government or policy study?: | No |
Time Period(s) of Collection: | |
Funder(s): |
Abstract
This study examined undergraduate students’ knowledge of copyright infringement at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was adopted. Three hundred and seventy-two (372) undergraduate students randomly selected from twelve universities constituted the sample for the study. Four research questions were developed and answered and data was collected through a self-designed questionnaire. The findings demonstrate that the majority of the respondents are aware of copyright infringement and have strong percetion that copyright infringement is a form of intellectual dishonesty. In addition, the results indicate that downloading content from the internet without permission from the owner is the major way through which undergraduates mostly infringed on the copyright. The findings also show that high cost of textbook is a contributing factor that leads students to infringe on copyright law, followed by scarcity of materials, fear of scoring poor marks, lack of awareness and overarch- ing curricula while the desire to defy authority had the least influence. The increasing awareness of copyright law and possible punishment for violating the law was rated as the most fundamental way of reducing copyright infringement. The only hypothesis tested in the study revealed a significant difference in the perception of undergraduate students on copyright infringement based on their academic level with (Chi Cal. = 740.85, df=16, chi table= 26.30 at 0.05 level of significant difference). Upon these findings, the study recommends that author and publishers should try to reduce the cost of their textbooks. In addition, libraries in higher institutions should be well equipped with enough and relevant printed/literary resources. These should be readily available and accessible to the students when needed, in order to help reducing the rate of piracy and photocopying in higher institutions.
Main Results of the Study
Most students are aware of the existence of copyright law, and that copyright infringement constitutes an intellectual dishonesty. Most students agree that scenarios such as e.g. submitting another persons work as their own, or not attributing another persons work, are a form of copyright infringement. Students understandings and perceptions of copyright law change depending on the level of seniority of their academic career, which the authors suggest is as a result in improved knowledge.
Of infringing behaviour that is conducted by undergraduate students, this is usually in relation to downloading of protected materials via the internet. However, higher-education specific factors, such as the high cost of textbooks, overcrowding of curricula, and scarcity of reading materials, also significantly contribute to an undergraduate student’s willingness to infringe.
Policy Implications as Stated By Author
Whilst the authors do not explicitly state any policy recommendations, they recommend:
• Increasing students awareness of copyright law as a means to reduce infringement, which may be facilitated by University librarians etc., and;
• Authors and publishers should reduce the costs of textbooks, as this is a significant contributing factor to infringement (and similarly Universities should make efforts to keep a large stock of reading materials).
The authors also note that particularly in the country of focus (Nigeria), issues of poverty make infringing behaviours such as copying and distributing a perceived necessity.