UC Merced Undergraduate Research Journal

The problem of cheating in universities has existed as long as education itself; however, the problem has gotten exponentially worse in recent years. While consequences of cheating are not as noticeable today, the growing numbers of students cheating will have detrimental effects to the society of humans. The act of cheating to complete course work creates a mentality deprived of life satisfaction through hard work as well as incentives to live a dishonest life after college. The future society of the earth will depend upon competent innovators and strong leaders, of which are currently in college getting the education required to do so. Students who have cheated to get through college will be unprepared and unmotivated to continue leading the world on its current path towards a progressive future. It is up to current students to reduce the numbers of students cheating, such that, their graduating class will be full of intelligent innovators and motivational leaders instead of slackers that are desensitized to any form of satisfaction.