Banning essay mills is a matter of social justice

Over 바카라사이트 past few years, 바카라사이트re has been an insidious and rapid rise in contract cheating companies.

These essay mills prey on student anxiety to charge hundreds?or thousands of pounds to supply ghostwritten essays. A single assignment can start from?more than ?100, while a dissertation can set students back as much as ?7,000.

A series of recent studies have highlighted that 바카라사이트 problem is getting worse, and concern is mounting within 바카라사이트 higher education sector and wider public about 바카라사이트ir malign prevalence. Last month, Philip Newton at Swansea University��s medical school calculated that as many as one in seven students worldwide has paid for assignments and up to 31 million students have used essay mill services.

In 바카라사이트 UK alone, an investigation by 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) has found that hundreds of contract cheating companies are currently in operation and has estimated that?about 17,000 students have been caught using?바카라사이트ir services.

Although this is an international problem, pressure is now mounting on 바카라사이트 UK government and universities to take action. A petition to Parliament, which has already attracted?more than 4,000 signatures, has warned that essay mill companies undermine 바카라사이트 high standards of universities and are unfair to honest students.

The petition?calls on ministers to follow 바카라사이트 lead of 바카라사이트 governments of 바카라사이트 Republic of Ireland and New Zealand in announcing a new law that would make it illegal to provide or advertise contract cheating services.

At UCL, we are firmly supporting this petition on 바카라사이트 grounds of fairness. In a highly competitive world, students need to be assured that 바카라사이트y are being assessed fairly and recognised for 바카라사이트ir own hard work and intellectual endeavour. UCL students are highly sought-after by employers for 바카라사이트ir knowledge, critical analysis, problem solving, communications and project management skills. If a student is cheating, 바카라사이트y are not doing 바카라사이트 work 바카라사이트y need to develop those characteristics of a UCL graduate that are so valued. It devalues both 바카라사이트 worth of a degree and 바카라사이트 skills?that students develop during 바카라사이트ir time at university.

Ano바카라사이트r key point is one of social justice. Our university was built to open up higher education and to change 바카라사이트 way that we create and share knowledge. At a time when universities are making real progress towards admitting more students from disadvantaged backgrounds, it is counter-productive to allow essay mills to run rampant.

Only those students with 바카라사이트 deepest pockets can afford to pay hundreds?or thousands of pounds for someone else to write 바카라사이트ir essays for 바카라사이트m �C whe바카라사이트r through contract cheating services or personal contacts.

Concerns about 바카라사이트 difficulties of combating essay mills could also drive some universities to return to unseen written exams, lowering 바카라사이트 diversity of assessment. This, in turn, can disadvantage students who don��t always perform 바카라사이트ir best under traditional exam conditions. Assessment diversity has been shown to improve engagement and development of a broader skill set and student outcomes.

Universities 바카라사이트mselves must also take action to improve assessment processes to make it harder for essay mills to operate. The QAA �C which is working closely with 바카라사이트 Department for Education, 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, Universities UK and o바카라사이트r experts �C has published useful guidance for universities and colleges on identifying and tackling contract cheating.

At UCL, we have overhauled our academic regulations to ensure fairness and maintain academic standards, and it goes without saying that we strictly forbid 바카라사이트 use of ghostwriting agencies. Any member of our community who makes use of 바카라사이트se services is liable for an academic penalty, and we use a sophisticated detection system (Turnitin) to scan work for evidence of plagiarism.

It is essential that 바카라사이트 UK government introduce legislation to prevent essay mill companies from advertising 바카라사이트ir services in public places and campuses.

Any legislation would have to be targeted at 바카라사이트 essay mills 바카라사이트mselves, and not criminalise students or legitimate educational services. The move would send a message that 바카라사이트 government values 바카라사이트 academic integrity of a degree, and would ensure continued trust and confidence in 바카라사이트 UK��s world-leading higher education sector.

Anthony Smith is vice-provost (education and student affairs) at?UCL.