THE IMPACT OF PLAGIARISM ON DOCTORAL

EDUCATION IN INDONESIA
I. Introduction
The phenomenon of plagiarism in higher education remains a frequent occurrence
(Sahrani, 2020). Plagiarism cases continuously tarnish the reputation of Indonesia's
educational sphere. Recently, the Ombudsman of the Republic of Indonesia discovered
plagiarism in three scholarly works by Muhammad Zamrun Firihu, the Rector of Halu
Oleo University (UHO) in Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi. According to an analysis by 30
UHO professors, Zamrun was proven to have committed plagiarism in three
international journals published by various institutions, with a similarity rate exceeding
78 percent (Dewati, 2019).
Sukaesih, 2018) notes that common violations observed in qualitative research
include plagiarism or replication of others' research findings. Current Information and
Communication Technologies, including the internet and social media, facilitate the
easy replication of research findings by others. Essentially, academic works serve as a
medium to communicate thoughts, ideas, and concepts in written form, so they can be
understood, studied, and acknowledged as important information. The essence of
academic writing is linked to the academic realm as it originates from scholars'
thoughts, thus necessitating legal and ethical protection (Fadilla et al., 2023).
Adiyati & Supriyanto (2020) found that plagiarism cases have increased in recent
years, raising concerns for everyone. This topic undoubtedly requires our attention.
Therefore, it is crucial for students and educators to have a mutual understanding of
plagiarism to prevent its occurrence. The disposition to appreciate, acknowledge, and
give credit for others' efforts is imperative in producing scholarly work.
Plagiarism is strictly prohibited in higher education due to its detrimental impact
on the integrity of the academic community. This contravenes the fundamental
aspirations and objectives of higher education, which include the endeavor, discovery,
preservation, and promotion of scientific truth, honesty, and accountability. Considering
these factors, what are the causes of the prevalence of plagiarism in higher education?
What is the impact of plagiarism on doctoral education in Indonesia?

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 Thus, the purpose of this research is to provide a profound understanding of the
issue of plagiarism in the context of higher education in Indonesia and to offer
recommendations to address this problem.

II. . Analysis and Discussion

According to the Oxford American Dictionary as cited in Sukaesih (2018),
plagiarism is defined as "to take and use another person’s ideas, writing, or inventions
as one’s own." Furthermore, as explained by Reitz in the Online Dictionary for Library
and Information Science (http://www.abc-clio.com/ODLIS/odlis_p.aspx) and
referenced by Sukaesih (2018), plagiarism is "Copying or closely imitating the work of
another writer, composer, etc., without permission and with the intention of passing the
copied material as one's original work." This aligns with findings by Mashuri (2013),
who notes that the development of knowledge often begins with imitation or at least a
replication of ideas from predecessors or more knowledgeable individuals. However,
the process of knowledge development does not end with "copying"; it evolves through
research, criticism, correction, and enhancement to generate new discoveries. To
distinguish the concepts of "imitating" and "taking opinions" or thoughts from others
legitimately, a clearer understanding is necessary.
Wibowo (2012) states that the term plagiarism originates from the Latin word
"plagirus," meaning kidnapper. In this context, it signifies the theft of another person’s
work (literary theft), a concept popularized by Ben Jonson in England in 1601. In his
study, Wibowo (2012) cites a decree by the Rector of the University of Indonesia dated
March 17, 2009, which defines plagiarism as:
"the act of stealing ideas or thoughts expressed in written form or
writings of others as if they are one's own ideas, thoughts, and writings."
Meanwhile, according to the Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia (KBBI),
plagiarism is defined as:
"the act of taking someone else's work (opinions, etc.) and presenting it
as one's own work, such as publishing someone else's written work under
one's name; a copy."

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 The term plagiarism according to KBBI is defined as:
"a violation of copyright through copying."
In the Indonesian Ministry of Education Regulation No. 17 of 2010,
plagiarism is also defined as:
"the act, whether intentional or unintentional, of obtaining or attempting
to obtain credit or value for a scientific work, by citing part or all of
another party's recognized scientific work, without stating the source
adequately and appropriately."
Harlen Simanjutak (2022) outlines the scope of plagiarism, including:
a. Quoting someone else's words or phrases without using quotation marks and
without citing the source information.
b. Using the thoughts, perspectives, or beliefs of others without identifying the
source of information.
c. Practicing the use of facts (data, information) belonging to other individuals
without citing the source of the information or data.
d. Claiming someone else's writing as one's own personal work.
e. Without identifying the source's identity, paraphrasing is the process of changing
someone else's phrase structure into one's own sentence structure without
altering the concept or meaning of the text.
f. Participating in the submission of academic work produced and/or published by
a third party as if it is one's own work.
Harlen Simanjutak (2022) also quotes Soelistyo about several types of plagiarism:
a. Word-for-word Plagiarism: Without acknowledging the original author, the
writer uses the words of another writer for personal gain.
b. Source Plagiarism: The writer utilizes someone else's concept without sufficient
acknowledgment (without clearly and concisely citing the source).
c. Authorship Plagiarism: It is acknowledged by the writer that they are the author
of another person's written work.
d. Self Plagiarism: Writers who recycle their written or scientific work, including
in such publications, are included in this category. In addition, writers who
publish one article in more than one editorial magazine are also included.

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 Regarding self-plagiarism, it is important to remember that when you take your
own work and reproduce it, the new work you create must undergo significant
modifications. This demonstrates that the amount of new work produced also
includes a small amount of old material. The goal is to provide fresh information
to readers, which is genuinely incorporated into the written work that utilizes
previous works.
Risparyanto (2020) states that plagiarism also impacts the decline of graduate
competencies and academic integrity, accompanied by irreparable moral damage to the
country. Pahlevi (2023) details significant impacts of plagiarism on doctoral education
in Indonesia, including:
a. Loss of Academic Integrity: Plagiarizing someone else's work is an ethical
violation and undermines academic integrity. If a student commits plagiarism,
they cannot be considered to possess strong academic capabilities.
b. Reduced Educational Quality: When higher education institutions engage in
plagiarism, the quality of education they provide diminishes. Students will lack
the necessary skills to produce quality academic work if they only plagiarize
others' writings and do not understand the taught topics.
c. Diminished Credibility of Educational Institutions: The legitimacy of
educational institutions with students who consistently plagiarize content will be
compromised both in the eyes of the public and the academic community.
d. Self-Harm: Students who plagiarize will experience a loss of self-confidence
because they do not believe they can produce unique and quality academic work.
Additionally, they lack the information and skills required to enter the
professional world.
e. Risk of Academic and/or Criminal Sanctions: Both administrative sanctions,
ranging from reprimands to revocation of academic degrees, and criminal
sanctions under applicable laws, can be imposed on those who commit
plagiarism.
According to Utama (2013), the criminal sanctions associated with plagiarism, as
defined under the Indonesian Criminal Code and the Copyright Law (Law No. 28 of
2014), are as follows:

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No Act of Plagiarism Elements of a Criminal Constitution Article
. ActElements of a Criminal Act
1. Copying the work or scholarly Theft. KUHP 362
creations of others and Element of Criminal Offense: The
unlawful taking of part or all of
presenting them as one's own.
another person's property with the
intent to own it.

2. Publishing the work or Embezzlement. KUHP 372

scholarly output of others under Elements of a Crime: Deliberately and
unlawfully claiming some or all of
one's own name.
someone else's property as one's own.

Piracy. UU Hak Cipta 72 ayat (1)

jo. Pasal 2
Elements of a Criminal Act:
ayat (1)
Deliberately and without right
publishing someone else's work.

3 Hire a service to create Fraud. KUHP 378

scientific work/works and then
Elements of a criminal act: unlawfully
publish them using your own
benefiting oneself by using a false
name
identity by encouraging other people
to hand over something to them.

Piracy. UU Hak Cipta 72 ayat (1)

jo. Pasal 2
Elements of Criminal Offence:
ayat (1)
Intentionally and without right
publishing other people's creations.

The previously discussed matters can serve as references or guidelines for future
educational administration, although the Government Regulation No. 17 of 2010 on the
Management and Administration of Education, as stated in the Official Gazette of the
Republic of Indonesia Number 23 of 2010 and Supplement to the Official Gazette of the
Republic of Indonesia Number 5105, which was amended by Government Regulation
No. 66 of 2010 (Kepmendikbud ristekdikti, 2022), indicates ongoing challenges.

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 Plagiarism, a significant concern around us, is of critical importance to each
individual. Thus, it is imperative to plan actions to address this issue moving forward.
Plagiarism tarnishes and obscures our academic environment and is justifiably
considered an intellectual crime, prohibited by law. Several factors contribute to the
occurrence of plagiarism, as outlined by Harlen Simanjutak (2022), which include:
a. The obligation to complete academic work within a specific timeframe,
leading to the temptation to copy and paste others' work.
b. A limited interest in reading and studying reference materials.
c. A lack of understanding about when and how to cite sources.
d. Failure of educators, lecturers, and academic supervisors to address
plagiarism issues.
The high incidence of plagiarism in the Indonesian academic world signals
significant problems. Research emphasizes the widespread occurrence of plagiarism and
the measures employed to eradicate it. Investigations reveal that educational institutions
in Indonesia have earnestly attempted to tackle plagiarism issues, employing strategies
such as seminars, dissemination of information about plagiarism, and mandatory
procedures for submitting academic work to databases (Akbar & Picard, 2019).
Nonetheless, ambiguities remain regarding the definition and management of plagiarism
in higher education institutions (Adiningrum, 2015). The prevalence of plagiarism in
Indonesia is driven by students' lack of understanding of plagiarism and concerns about
the uniformity and effectiveness of law enforcement in this area (Riana et al., 2023).
Despite efforts to prevent plagiarism, further steps are necessary to address this
issue across various educational levels, including doctoral education. The quality of
doctoral education in Indonesia is negatively impacted by plagiarism, leading to
lowered academic standards, diminished academic self-confidence, and psychological
effects on students. Plagiarism undermines trust in research outcomes and academic
activities, reducing the overall quality of doctoral education. It also affects academic
standards and hinders scholars from contributing to scientific advancement (Pahlevi,
2023). Academics may experience shame, concern, and despair due to plagiarism,
negatively impacting their mental well-being.
The high frequency of plagiarism practices in Indonesia may result from students'

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low awareness of plagiarism and concerns about the consistency and effectiveness of
law enforcement in this regard (Harlen Simanjutak, 2022). Therefore, stricter
procedures are needed to avoid and combat plagiarism in the context of doctoral
education in Indonesia.
Attention has shifted to measures that can be used to prevent and identify
instances of plagiarism in the academic environment, particularly in Indonesia.
Initiatives have been undertaken to combat and eliminate plagiarism cases in higher
education. These initiatives include organizing workshops, distributing information
about plagiarism, and implementing regulations for uploading academic works to
databases (Kurnisar, 2016). Additionally, the role of technology in assisting efforts to
combat plagiarism is crucial. The need for technology to identify plagiarism cases and
encourage the application of anti-plagiarism regulations in various universities in
Indonesia has been highlighted in research (Akbar & Picard, 2019).
Therefore, to combat the issue of plagiarism in the educational environment, it is
essential to take actions to avoid plagiarism through policy changes, awareness
enhancement, and system strengthening.
Some concrete recommendations for addressing the issue of plagiarism at the
doctoral education level, including policy changes, awareness enhancement, and
strengthening of the supervision system, are as follows:
a. Policy Changes
There is a need for tighter and more transparent policy adjustments regarding
the penalties that should be given to plagiarism perpetrators, both students and
lecturers. This strategy should be supported by strict limitations and consistent
application of severe penalties (Akbar & Picard, 2019; Wibowo, 2012). On the
other hand, Pecorari (2008) suggests that universities manage their admissions
so that students have a reasonable chance of success.
b. Awareness Enhancement
Using educational and training methods, it is important to increase awareness
about the implications associated with plagiarism. Frequent workshops,
seminars, and socialization efforts regarding research ethics and academic
integrity are crucial (Kurnisar, 2016; Patak & Tahir, 2019).

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 c. System Strengthening
The supervision mechanism for plagiarism cases needs to be enhanced to
ensure proper oversight. This involves the application of plagiarism detection
software, such as Turnitin, and the validation of scientific work through peer
review processes by experts (Akbar & Picard, 2019; Riana et al., 2023).
However, this is not in line with Palandeng et al. (2023), who argue that using
the percentage of similarity generated by software like Turnitin as the primary
reference is not appropriate in determining whether plagiarism is real or not.
The Academic Integrity Platform managed by the Ministry of Education,
Research, and Technology mentions, besides the amount of deviation, five
elements: the history of deviation; the level of education; the type of task;
other aggravating factors (such as the intention or unintentional act of
deviation); and the consequences arising from the deviation (e.g., harm to the
original author used as a reference source). This evaluation should be followed
by the formation of a Research Ethics Committee (KEP) empowered to
investigate research proposals and research ethics. This is crucial to determine
whether the rules, norms, and principles in the research conducted by students
have been properly applied or not. Regardless of how good an application is,
there is always the possibility of loopholes that can be exploited by
irresponsible parties. Often, applications that can detect plagiarism in a
scientific paper can still be fooled due to the creativity of plagiarism
practitioners and the advancement of increasingly sophisticated computer
technology.
By implementing these recommendations, it is hoped that a more honest,
transparent, and quality doctoral education environment can be created, capable of
reducing the practice of plagiarism at the doctoral education level in Indonesia.

III. Conclusion
Plagiarism is a significant issue in higher education, particularly in Indonesia, due
to its negative impact on the integrity of scholarly work and the reputation of higher
education institutions. It involves the communication of ideas or writings of others
without appropriate permission, often leading to the creation of new discoveries. In

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Indonesia, the Ombudsman RI discovered plagiarism in three scholarly works of the
Rector of Halu Oleo University. Plagiarism is defined as "obtaining credit or value for a
scholarly work by partially quoting it" and "stealing ideas or thoughts expressed in
writing."
Derived from the Latin word "plagirus," which means "to take someone else's
work (opinions) and so on," plagiarism is the practice of using facts (data, information)
belonging to others without acknowledging them as original work. It is developed
through research, critique, correction, and improvement until it yields results.
Plagiarism also has a connecting space, as knowledgeable individuals can avoid it by
remembering or understanding the meaning of texts.
In Indonesia, plagiarism impacts the submission of scholarly works without
clearly stating their sources, leading to increased job opportunities and potential threats
of academic and criminal sanctions. Plagiarism can be considered property theft, using
one's own name to designate someone else's work as one's own, and publishing that
work without clear and concise source acknowledgment. This can result in a loss of
self-confidence and reduced credibility of higher education institutions.
The Criminal Code (KUHP) and Law Number 28 govern the consequences of
plagiarism, including academic and criminal sanctions as per legal regulations. Students
who continuously plagiarize may experience a decrease in self-confidence and a lack of
information and skills needed to produce quality scholarly work. Plagiarism is a crime
prohibited by law, necessitating educational institutions to address this issue.
Several factors can cause or encourage plagiarism, such as a lack of interest in
reading and studying reference materials, failures of teachers, lecturers, and academic
advisors to address the issue, and a lack of understanding of when and how to cite.
Plagiarism is a crime prohibited by law, necessitating educational institutions to address
this issue.
In conclusion, plagiarism is a significant problem in the academic environment,
and it is vital for educators to address and tackle plagiarism issues. By recognizing the
importance of identifying and addressing plagiarism, universities can ensure that their
students receive quality education and contribute to the growth of their community. To
combat plagiarism, there is a need to implement stricter procedures, use technology, and

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increase awareness of the consequences of plagiarism.
Technology plays a role in the ambiguity of the definition and handling of
plagiarism in universities. To avoid and combat plagiarism in doctoral education, it is
essential to implement policies, increase awareness, and strengthen systems. Plagiarism
detection software, such as Turnitin, is crucial for validating scholarly work through
education. However, it is important to note that penalties for plagiarism should be
consistent and transparent. By implementing these recommendations, it is hoped that an
increasingly sophisticated computer environment can be created to combat plagiarism
and ensure the quality of doctoral education in Indonesia.

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