Previous research indicates that students in engineering self-report cheating in college at higher rates than those in most other disciplines. Prior work also suggests that participation in one deviant behavior is a reasonable predictor of future deviant behavior. This combination of factors leads to a situation where engineering students who frequently participate in academic dishonesty are more likely to make unethical decisions in professional practice. To investigate this scenario, the authors propose the hypotheses that (1) there are similarities in the decision-making processes used by engineering students when considering whether or not to participate in academic and professional dishonesty, and (2) prior academic dishonesty by engineering students is an indicator of future decisions to act dishonestly. The authors surveyed a group of students who had experience both in the classroom and in professional settings. The participants were asked to respond to open-ended questions, and the authors were able to identify common themes and circumstances which lead to cheating and misconduct. The survey showed that students who reported that they had cheated in a classroom setting were more likely to violate workplace policies, thus showing a connection between academic cheating and professional dishonesty.
