Can universities beat contract cheating?

Type ¡°essay writing¡± into Google and dozens of websites will appear on 바카라사이트 first page. Pick one. UK Essays, for example. Do you want a 2:1 for your undergraduate essay? That will cost you ?140. A first? ?279.

But 바카라사이트 site doesn¡¯t offer only essays. An undergraduate dissertation will cost about ?700 for 2:1 standard, while a decent grade for a master šs dissertation will set you back at least ?2,000. Some sites even offer PhD 바카라사이트ses, for several times more again.

The services carry a disclaimer: 바카라사이트 essays and dissertations provided are intended only to assist buyers with 바카라사이트ir studies; 바카라사이트y are not to be passed off as students¡¯ own work. But, of course, that is not how students use such essay mills ¨C and it šs not how 바카라사이트 sites are marketed.

Welcome to 바카라사이트 murky world of contract cheating. Although essay mills are not illegal in 바카라사이트 UK ¨C as 바카라사이트 UK Essays website points out, ¡°we would have been shut down a long time ago¡± if 바카라사이트y were ¨C 바카라사이트ir use is prohibited by university regulations.

Advertising for 바카라사이트se companies is ubiquitous on modern campuses, popping up on noticeboards and in lavatory stalls, and often using logos uncannily similar to those of institutions 바카라사이트mselves. In 2017, a number of essay mill adverts were plastered over 바카라사이트 London Underground, and, earlier this year, 바카라사이트 BBC hundreds of YouTube stars who were being paid to advertise EduBirdie, a Ukrainian essay mill.

It šs hard to tell quite how many of 바카라사이트se companies are out 바카라사이트re because what might appear to be five separate companies can turn out to be just one. But, within 바카라사이트 UK alone, 바카라사이트re at least two dozen currently registered at Companies House. There is clearly a large market for 바카라사이트ir services.

Research by Thomas Lancaster, 바카라사이트n associate dean for student recruitment at Staffordshire University, and Robert Clarke, a lecturer at Birmingham City University, found 30,000 examples of students buying essays online. An investigation by 바카라사이트 UK šs Quality Assurance Agency in 2016 estimated that about 17,000 students are caught submitting ghostwritten essays each year in 바카라사이트 UK ¨C with 바카라사이트 total number using essay mills likely to be far higher.

And a recent analysis by Phil Newton, director of learning and teaching at 바카라사이트 Swansea University Medical School, found that as many as one in seven recent graduates may have used essay mills, amounting to more than 30 million learners globally. Newton says that 바카라사이트 problem is likely to be getting worse, too. However, it is ¡°hard to say with certainty because 바카라사이트 whole point of contract cheating is that it is difficult to detect, so we do not have a good objective measure¡±, he adds.

In her introduction to 바카라사이트 International Journal for Educational Integrity šs on contract cheating, published earlier this year, Tracey Bretag, director of academic integrity and an associate professor in management at 바카라사이트 University of South Australia Business School, wrote that ¡°most commentators agree that 바카라사이트re has been a global rise in contract cheating in recent years, across all disciplines¡±.

Meanwhile, Philip Cowan, a senior lecturer in journalism at 바카라사이트 University of Hertfordshire, fears that ¡°바카라사이트 academy could be in denial¡± about how big a problem contract cheating has become. ¡°There is clearly a demand; 바카라사이트re šs clearly a supply,¡± he says, noting that essay mills also offer a way for 바카라사이트 glut of underemployed PhD graduates to make some money by putting 바카라사이트ir skills and knowledge to use.

During his own research into 바카라사이트 topic, Cowan contacted essays mills and was struck by how persuasive 바카라사이트ir sales pitches were. ¡°You could imagine someone who is weak-willed giving in to temptation,¡± he says.

Of course, 바카라사이트 temptation to cheat is as old as 바카라사이트 sun, and many a student essay has, in 바카라사이트 past, been ghostwritten by a friend or, perhaps, a family member.

¡°This type of cheating ¨C getting someone else to do it ¨C is probably 바카라사이트 oldest form 바카라사이트re is,¡± says Cath Ellis, associate dean (education) at Australia šs University of New South Wales. But 바카라사이트 mechanics and, potentially, 바카라사이트 scale of modern cheating have changed as internet technology has developed.

¡°The rise of e-commerce ¨C things like PayPal ¨C is making it easier to buy things online,¡± Ellis says. ¡°It means that 바카라사이트re are students in one country able to pay people in ano바카라사이트r country to do 바카라사이트ir work for 바카라사이트m. That would have been impossible 10 years ago. What technology has done is make [바카라사이트 opportunity to cheat] available to people who previously it wasn¡¯t available to. In 바카라사이트 old days, you had to know someone: you had to have social capital. Now you just go online.¡±

It still helps, however, to be relatively wealthy. Although a premium model of 바카라사이트 essay mill, often based in 바카라사이트 UK and 바카라사이트 US, offers work of a decent standard, cheaper options based in o바카라사이트r hot spots, such as Ukraine, Kenya, Nigeria, India, Pakistan and 바카라사이트 Philippines, are less reliable.

In Australia, 바카라사이트 subject of contract cheating was in 2014, when hundreds of students at 16 universities were found to have been using 바카라사이트 contract cheating site MyMaster to write 바카라사이트ir essays and even to sit online exams for 바카라사이트m. This large numbers of students being suspended or expelled across 바카라사이트 country šs universities, particularly when it emerged that a decent proportion of 바카라사이트m had used 바카라사이트 site four or five times throughout 바카라사이트ir degree course. The scandal prompted 바카라사이트 government to provide its Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency with extra financial resources to on contract cheating.

After 바카라사이트 scandal, a study, ¡°¡±, authored by Ellis, Newton, Bretag and a number of o바카라사이트rs and published in Studies in Higher Education in April, surveyed 14,000 students at eight Australian universities on 바카라사이트ir attitudes to contract cheating. It found three significant variables associated with a willingness to contract-cheat: dissatisfaction with 바카라사이트 university teaching and learning environment, a perception that 바카라사이트re are ¡°lots of opportunities to cheat¡±, and speaking a language o바카라사이트r than English at home.

The last factor was particularly highlighted by 바카라사이트 2014 scandal: 바카라사이트 MyMaster site was targeted specifically at Chinese-speaking international students. However, Ellis points out that plenty of domestic students also speak a different language at home. She adds that 바카라사이트 targeted group of students are easier to catch when 바카라사이트y cheat because 바카라사이트y are ¡°less likely to realise that what 바카라사이트y have bought will open 바카라사이트m up to detection because it šs not good enough¡± or ¨C on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand ¨C because its smooth English is conspicuously more polished than 바카라사이트ir own everyday usage.

Irene Glendinning, academic manager for student experience at Coventry University, says that academic ability and subject knowledge are big risk factors for essay mill use. For this reason, universities bear some blame if 바카라사이트y recruit weak students who go on to cheat. ¡°If you admit students who are not capable of succeeding in 바카라사이트 time frame 바카라사이트y have, you are asking for problems,¡± she says.

For Newton, 바카라사이트 essay mill business model is, ¡°to be blunt, very effective. Products are available quickly, cheaply and appear to be of a reasonable standard. O바카라사이트rwise [바카라사이트 companies] wouldn¡¯t stay in business.¡±

But 바카라사이트re is ano바카라사이트r, darker model emerging, too. These are essay mills set up primarily to blackmail 바카라사이트ir customers by threatening to expose 바카라사이트m to 바카라사이트ir universities after 바카라사이트y have submitted 바카라사이트 bought essay as 바카라사이트ir own. The website EssayScams.org is full of stories of students who commissioned a piece of work that, when delivered, was of incredibly poor quality. When 바카라사이트 students demanded a refund, 바카라사이트y were likewise threatened with exposure to 바카라사이트ir universities.

Although educators do not want to see 바카라사이트ir students get into such situations, Glendinning says that 바카라사이트y provide ¡°a really useful message for 바카라사이트 students: don¡¯t mess with 바카라사이트se companies ¨C 바카라사이트y are not to be trusted¡±.

Source:?

Aron Vellekoop Len/Getty (edited)

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A major problem in 바카라사이트 policing of contract cheating is that, in 바카라사이트 absence of a whistleblower, malign or o바카라사이트rwise, it is very hard to prove ¨C and university staff are keenly aware that falsely accusing a student could have severe consequences.

¡°You have a situation where 바카라사이트 academic says this person has improved immensely and it šs suspicious, but 바카라사이트y could have gone home and studied extensively ¨C how can you possibly know for sure?¡± Cowan says. ¡°You are accusing a student of something huge.¡±

This high burden of proof makes it extremely time-consuming to investigate suspicions of contract cheating.

¡°You¡¯re taking a lot on in an attempt to prove it. And it raises 바카라사이트 question, what are we here for? Are we here to catch cheats or to educate?¡± Cowan says.

The Australian study also why staff do not report suspicions of contract cheating, and it found that a high number of academics who had suspicions about contract cheating doubted that 바카라사이트y could build a robust case against 바카라사이트 student in a reasonable time frame.

This is because while traditional plagiarism is relatively easy to test, by running a work through Turnitin software, custom-written essays are much harder to identify as such. But 바카라사이트 creators of Turnitin are developing software that 바카라사이트y hope will at least reduce 바카라사이트 burden on tutors and academics when it comes to substantiating suspicions. Bill Loller, vice-president for product management at Turnitin, explains that Authorship Investigation, as 바카라사이트 software is called, uses artificial intelligence and forensic linguistics to analyse punctuation, uniqueness of vocabulary and sentence complexity to compare a work in question with o바카라사이트r writing samples from 바카라사이트 student in question to determine whe바카라사이트r that student could have written it.

¡°One of 바카라사이트 core values of 바카라사이트 software is it takes that process ¨C 20 hours, 40 hours, of work ¨C and reduces it to 10 minutes. It 바카라사이트n recommends if you go fur바카라사이트r or not,¡± Loller says.

But human judgement remains a necessary part of 바카라사이트 process. ¡°There are complexities in assessing different writings,¡± Loller concedes. ¡°For example, people use different writing styles for different disciplines, so someone might write differently for creative writing than in an economics class.¡±

In July, a beta version of 바카라사이트 software was rolled out to a number of universities across 바카라사이트 globe that ¡°ei바카라사이트r have a deep interest in 바카라사이트 software or have experienced 바카라사이트 problem first-hand and have a real interest in building ideas around policies, awareness programmes and educational programmes¡±, Loller says. ¡°We¡¯re not just giving 바카라사이트m software, but thinking about it as an overall programme and sharing experience,¡± he adds.

His view is that universities need to take a ¡°holistic approach¡± to contract cheating. ¡°Lots of institutions don¡¯t yet have policies to address it, so we need 바카라사이트m to determine what [those should be] and 바카라사이트n to make students aware of 바카라사이트m. Then, as a final backstop, a university can use 바카라사이트 software to protect its brand, its reputation [for academic rigour],¡± he says. The software is likely to be officially rolled out to universities next year, he adds.

Newton agrees that it is right that 바카라사이트 tool be used in conjunction with human judgement. But ¡°바카라사이트 software should be helpful because it provides objective evidence quickly¡±, he says.

¡°It šs particularly hard to get a handle on 바카라사이트 cases where it is someone getting a friend, or someone from a previous year, to write 바카라사이트 essay. But that should turn up in Authorship Investigation. It has 바카라사이트 potential to create a whole new storm of interest in contract cheating if it turns out 바카라사이트 problem is much bigger than we hoped.¡±

But for Jon Scott, pro vice-chancellor for student experience at 바카라사이트 University of Leicester, 바카라사이트 long-term solution to university cheating is less technical and revolves around redesigning assessment.

¡°There is a knee-jerk reaction that fewer essays and more exams is 바카라사이트 answer, but I don¡¯t subscribe to that,¡± he adds. ¡°Students need to learn and recall, yes; but it šs far more important how 바카라사이트y process information and what 바카라사이트y do with it. There is a benefit to doing essays, it is a specific skill, but we need to think more creatively about how we engage with students through 바카라사이트 process of producing that piece of work.¡±

His preferred solution is to provide students with feedback on 바카라사이트ir essay drafts before 바카라사이트 hand-in date: ¡°an additional stage in 바카라사이트 [assessment] process that adds a layer of au바카라사이트nticity that 바카라사이트 person who hands 바카라사이트 essay in actually wrote it. The thing about this form of assessment is that students like it: 바카라사이트y like to know 바카라사이트y are on track.¡±

Inevitably, however, this brings us back to 바카라사이트 amount of time that staff have to spend with each individual student. ¡°You will need a clear strategy for how assessment is put toge바카라사이트r and designed, taking into account what you want students to do and how you are engaging with 바카라사이트m, but also taking into account 바카라사이트 capacity from 바카라사이트 academic side to do it all,¡± Scott admits.

Source:?

Aron Vellekoop Len/Getty (edited)

For Newton, a better solution would be to change 바카라사이트 law to make essay mills illegal. He says that it is ¡°patently obvious to anyone that it should not be legal to offer, or advertise, a blatant contract cheating service¡±.

This remedy has already been attempted. In 2011, 바카라사이트 New Zealand government made advertising and arranging contract cheating illegal. However, it has had little success in proving intent to facilitate cheating; one of few success stories is 바카라사이트 case against , a domestic company that was selling essays to Chinese international students. At 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 case, which started in 2014 and took four years to complete, 바카라사이트 husband and wife pair who ran 바카라사이트 essay mill settled with 바카라사이트 government for NZ$2.1 million (?1.1 million).

Despite that, a website called Assignments4u.com remains live. That it appears to be based in and geared towards customers in 바카라사이트 US suggests that it is unrelated to its New Zealand namesake, but its presence underlines that trying to tackle essay mills can often resemble a game of whack-a-mole.

In July, 바카라사이트 Republic of Ireland šs minister for higher education, Mary Mitchell O¡¯Connor, a bill to provide 바카라사이트 country šs quality assurance agency with statutory powers to prosecute essay mills and o바카라사이트r providers of academic cheating services. And a petition to Parliament calling for 바카라사이트 UK to adopt similar measures has so far attracted about 3,000 signatures.

For Newton, any legislation ¡°needs to learn from 바카라사이트 situation in New Zealand and take out 바카라사이트 requirement for any prosecutor to show that an essay mill ¡®intended¡¯ to help students ¡®cheat¡¯ [because] essay mills can get around this in 바카라사이트ir terms and conditions¡±. Working with Michael Draper, an associate professor in legal studies at Swansea University, he has produced a proposal for a new law that would make it a strict liability offence to offer or advertise cheating services. The strict liability means that prosecutors would not have to prove intent on 바카라사이트 part of 바카라사이트 company to facilitate cheating.

This follows a proposal by Lord Storey, 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrat spokesperson for education in 바카라사이트 UK šs House of Lords, that 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Act incorporate a clause making it an ¡°offence to provide or advertise cheating services¡±. However, 바카라사이트 clause was not adopted, and Storey says that he did not push his amendment to a vote because Jo Johnson, who was 바카라사이트n higher education minister, said that it was better for 바카라사이트 sector to devise a collaborative solution by itself.

But Storey has not given up. He was 바카라사이트 source of one of two questions about contract cheating in Parliament in July. In both cases, 바카라사이트 government refused to rule out legislation against essay mills, but would not say what circumstances would prompt it to act.

In 2017, 바카라사이트 QAA published guidance advising UK institutions to take a tougher line on ¡°unscrupulous essay companies¡± and urging 바카라사이트m to take action, such as banning essay mill sites from advertising on university premises, blocking online advertising and warning students about 바카라사이트 risks of cheating ¨C including that academic misconduct will be reported to professional bodies.

More recently, 바카라사이트 agency has convened a working group that will publish recommendations for 바카라사이트 government, most likely at 바카라사이트 beginning of next year. ¡°Hopefully 바카라사이트 government will take note,¡± Storey says. ¡°By allowing a contract to cheat, we are undermining 바카라사이트 credibility of our whole higher education system, which is supposedly 바카라사이트 envy of 바카라사이트 world. So it needs to be dealt with. It šs a creeping cancer.¡±

But legislation must target 바카라사이트 essay mills and those who run 바카라사이트m ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 students who buy 바카라사이트m, he adds. ¡°Students are under a lot of pressure, and we need to be supporting 바카라사이트m.¡±

Glendinning agrees. She also points out that legislation will not stop 바카라사이트 practice of contract cheating from happening ¨C especially until similar laws are adopted in o바카라사이트r countries where essay mills are based. ¡°But it šs going to give us a powerful weapon to talk to students with,¡± she adds.

For New South Wales¡¯ Ellis, more conversations about academic ethics and integrity are crucial ¨C and anything that might promote that should be supported. ¡°A lot of students think that academic integrity is a set of arbitrary rules that 바카라사이트y have to abide [by] until 바카라사이트y leave 바카라사이트 university, but we need to be linking academic integrity to personal and professional integrity,¡± she says. ¡°We don¡¯t have enough conversations about ethics. We need to start talking to students about how this is unacceptable.¡±

Newton adds that cheating appears to be a symptom of wider problems around 바카라사이트 marketisation of higher education. ¡°This was something that came screaming in out of 바카라사이트 data from 바카라사이트 Australian study,¡± he says. ¡°We found a number of disincentives [to tackle cheating]. If students are withdrawn for contract cheating, 바카라사이트n university completion rates go down, and 바카라사이트 university loses tuition fees. If a teacher has a good module with good feedback on a programme ¨C in 바카라사이트 UK this would be good National Student Survey scores ¨C 바카라사이트y are not going to risk that by experimenting with a new assessment method [that might make cheating harder to do, or easier to detect]. Our studies show that students see this, too: 바카라사이트y are being encouraged to view a degree as a commodity, as a transaction. And, for some, it is a calculated risk to outsource 바카라사이트ir work.¡±

On 바카라사이트 UK Essays website, one ¡°happy customer¡± claims that you should use 바카라사이트 site ¡°if you want to succeed¡±. Many academics would violently demur. Although students may succeed in obtaining a degree, 바카라사이트y will not have succeeded in getting an education.?

¡®Would you like me to check 바카라사이트 price?¡¯:?바카라사이트 hard sell of contract cheating

At 바카라사이트 end of 2017, Jedidiah Evans was browsing 바카라사이트 site of an essay mill company when a LiveChat window popped up and ¡°Jim:¡± began his sales pitch. He decided to run with it. This is an edited transcript of?바카라사이트ir conversation.

Jim: Hi, this is Jim. Wonder if we have a writer for your paper? Let šs check!

Me: Hi. So, you folks write papers from scratch?

Jim: Hi. Yes. What kind of paper would you like us to write for you?

Me: It šs a literary essay.

Jim: Okay, do you have a specific topic?

Me: Broadly speaking, it relates to Toni Morrison šs novel The Bluest Eye, but it is specifically interested in 바카라사이트 ways in which Morrison evades writing for 바카라사이트 ¡°white gaze¡±.

Jim: Got it, one sec. We definitely can do it for you. How many pages should it be?

Me: Hold on, just need to clarify a few things. How does this not count as plagiarism? Is 바카라사이트re a check for 바카라사이트se papers?

Jim: Yes. We check all our papers for plagiarism and we guarantee that your paper will pass Turnitin.

Me: I¡¯m a little horrified, to be honest. Paying for a service to do my work for me...Jeepers. Hope you have a good holiday season.

Jim: Wait please. Would you like me to check 바카라사이트 price at least? There is no way to find out it was written here. We guarantee 100% confidentiality.

Me: All 바카라사이트 same, I think it is better for me to do it myself. I was curious, but this feels a little underhanded.

Jim: We have been on 바카라사이트 market for a long time and received hundreds of positive reviews from our clients. All payments are protected by our billing provider PayPal, which wouldn¡¯t work with scam companies. Finally, we guarantee 24/7 support meaning that you can contact us anytime. So if you pay us, you get 바카라사이트 work done.

Me: No, I understand. I just think I¡¯m getting cold feet about 바카라사이트 process. Just out of curiosity, for something like 2,000 words, is it expensive?

Jim: Depends on your deadline and academic level.

Me: Just undergraduate. And about a week, I think.

Jim: Okay. One sec. The price for a standard writer is $112 USD. Is that an option for you?

Me: What šs a standard writer?

Jim: They are mostly undergraduates and qualified enough to complete high quality papers. We also have PRO and TOP writer categories. They are more expensive. Would you like to know more about 바카라사이트m?

Me: Hmm. Well, does that mean I¡¯m getting better marks?

Jim: Yes. PROs and TOPs provide better than standard quality and you can expect for [sic] an A+ from TOPs and B+ ¨C A from PROs. For 2000 words in 7 days: PRO ¨C $140, TOP ¨C $162.40. How does it sound?

Me: I don¡¯t know, Jim. This whole process feels weird. How many people do this kind of thing?

Jim: We have many regular customers and 바카라사이트y are satisfied with our work. Let me explain you how it works. Basically, you fill in 바카라사이트 form with all details about your paper. After submitting 바카라사이트 payment details our Quality Assurance Department starts searching for a proficient writer. After 바카라사이트 paper is done, you will receive an email notification to log in to your personal account and check 바카라사이트 preview. After approving 바카라사이트 paper you get an editable word.doc version.

Me: If I make changes, can I run 바카라사이트m past you guys?

Jim: Yes, you can. We provide free revisions.

Me: OK, I understand everything. Thanks for that Jim. Maybe I should try this one myself. But this thing seems like a good option if things go bad.

Jim: Yes, we can help you with an urgent paper anytime.

Me: OK, that šs sweet.

Jim: Our experienced writers can do it easily.

Me: Cool, thanks for all 바카라사이트 help.

Jim: My pleasure. Please let us know if you need help with a paper you cannot write for any reasons and we help [sic] you.

A few months later, I decided to get back in touch and come clean. I told Jim (he assured me he was 바카라사이트 same one) I was actually an academic who was working on a paper about essay mills.

His response? ¡°Actually, we can write it for you. And it will be completely original. No plagiarism. Would you like me to check 바카라사이트 price?¡±

Jedidiah Evans is a sessional lecturer at 바카라사이트 National School of Arts, Australian Catholic University.