Contract cheating
Contract cheating
Contract cheating occurs when a student outsources, or attempts to outsource, assessed work to a third party. It often involves payment to an essay mill or ghostwriter, but work can also be supplied without payment by friends, family members or others.
Background
Robert Clarke and I introduced the term “contract cheating” into academic use in 2006 after studying students who were outsourcing assessed computing work. Since then, my research has examined commercial services, agency and micro-outsourcing sites, ghostwriters, assessment and institutional responses.
Why it matters
Outsourced work may be original, so text-matching software alone cannot resolve the problem. Contract cheating also prevents students from completing the learning that their qualification is intended to represent.
Practical responses
Responses depend on context. Useful starting points include staged assessment, evidence of the process used to produce work, clear rules about collaboration and tools, and opportunities for students to explain or reflect on their work. Human academic judgement remains important.
Enquiries
I welcome enquiries about research, speaking, staff or student development, and media commentary on contract cheating.