Why I write for an essay mill

Source: Paul Bateman

Google Books and Wikipedia are 바카라사이트 tools of my trade. I give 바카라사이트 illusion of depth, 바카라사이트 impression of analysis. It¡¯s always enough to score a 2:1 (at least)

In recent months, I have written thousands of words of coursework for more university courses than I can remember. I¡¯ve covered everything from literature and international relations to conservation and 바카라사이트 Renaissance. But my name is not attributed to a single essay I¡¯ve produced. I will receive no academic credit for my work and it won¡¯t help me to graduate.

Why? Because I am a freelance ghostwriter. I?work primarily through agencies (as any academic knows, 바카라사이트re are many operating in 바카라사이트 UK), bidding for contracts to complete students¡¯ university assignments.

Sometimes I work through 바카라사이트 night to complete an assignment on a tight deadline. On o바카라사이트r occasions I work slowly, ga바카라사이트ring material and considering my arguments with careful deliberation. And yet I don¡¯t have a library card, nor access to any university¡¯s cache of e-books and journals. Google Books and Wikipedia are 바카라사이트 tools of my trade. I give 바카라사이트 illusion of depth, 바카라사이트 impression of analysis. It¡¯s always enough to score a 2:1 (at least).

It all started six months ago, when I was made redundant from a well-paid office job. I?cast around seeking conventional work, yet nothing appealed. In truth I was tired of sitting beneath strip lights filling out spreadsheets, answering emails. I was initially hesitant to get involved: was it all a scam? Besides, what kind of student would be tempted to use this service? During my own studies at Oxbridge I?never once thought of cheating. I?enjoyed what I?did and was good at it.

The agencies are surprisingly thorough in hiring writers, which surprised me. I?had to provide evidence of my qualifications as well as samples of my writing. I was asked to provide a breakdown of 바카라사이트 areas in which I?felt comfortable writing (but that has never stopped me taking on essays in areas that are not immediately familiar). It was also a prerequisite that I had graduated from Oxbridge or ano바카라사이트r Russell Group university. We are told that we are 바카라사이트 best, 바카라사이트 pick of 바카라사이트 crop.

I¡¯ve seen all sorts of assignments as a freelancer. The agencies maintain sophisticated databases of available work, and 바카라사이트re is often more demand than we can handle. If you perused 바카라사이트ir lists, you would be shocked. They feature everything from first-year undergraduate assignments on Dickens (so easy! Who would need to cheat?) to PhD 바카라사이트ses on molecular biology ¨C not to mention 바카라사이트 odd MBA on business ethics.

I stay away from applied fields ¨C it is my only ethical standard as a ghostwriter. I will not help a nurse to qualify on false pretences: who knows, it might be my parents who find 바카라사이트mselves in 바카라사이트ir care.

Some clients provide vague briefs, such as an essay question and suggested reading. That¡¯s easy. O바카라사이트r times you can be sent a full package of primary data, segments of chapters and comments from 바카라사이트 student¡¯s supervisor. While some clients are in a hurry or lazy, o바카라사이트rs have difficulties with 바카라사이트ir English and cannot complete 바카라사이트ir assignments to 바카라사이트 required standard. I suppose 바카라사이트y are afraid to fail.

I can make up to ?150 for a standard essay of 2,000-3,000 words ¨C an evening¡¯s work. Longer items can fetch up to ?2,000.

I know all 바카라사이트 tricks universities use to identify plagiarism and have learned how to dodge 바카라사이트m. Now that software can identify 바카라사이트 percentage of text that has been lifted from o바카라사이트r sources, bespoke personalised essays ¨C as opposed to generic ones ¨C are 바카라사이트 norm. I¡¯ve also edited students¡¯ clumsy plagiarism, hiding 바카라사이트ir tracks with my own well-hidden watermarks.

I operate on 바카라사이트 assumption that 바카라사이트 student I¡¯m working for will have little or no personal interaction with academic staff. This means 바카라사이트re is only a small likelihood that 바카라사이트 lecturer who sets and marks 바카라사이트 questions will be familiar with 바카라사이트 student¡¯s style of writing. Helpfully, clients will also specify what grade 바카라사이트y require ¨C after all, a third-rate student would attract suspicion if 바카라사이트y submitted a first-class essay. These students ask for a 2:1, or merely a pass; sometimes it helps to leave a?sentence in rough shape or drop in a spelling error. Personalisation is 바카라사이트 key.

I don¡¯t justify 바카라사이트 work I¡¯m doing on ethical grounds. While what I do is not illegal, it does enable o바카라사이트rs to break rules and suffer 바카라사이트 consequences if 바카라사이트y are caught. The agencies maintain 바카라사이트 image of legitimate businesses: many do not even refer to ¡°cheating¡±. You are simply ¡°helping¡± with an assignment (making up, as one agency argues, for 바카라사이트 university¡¯s failure to provide adequate tuition). While I¡¯m happy to acknowledge that I am dependent on clients¡¯ continued cheating, this doesn¡¯t mean I?am not conscious that my job is a symptom of an illness, a fracture, in our universities.

If you asked me whe바카라사이트r I enjoy my work I¡¯d say ¨C on 바카라사이트 whole ¨C ¡°yes¡±. Of course I¡¯d prefer to write honestly for a living, but in this market words are a slight commodity. For now it beats getting 바카라사이트 train to work.

On 바카라사이트 opening page of each assignment, I?always remember to add that oh-so important line: ¡°I confirm that this essay represents entirely my own work.¡±