Ministers have announced plans to crackdown on so-called “essay mill” websites that supply custom-written essays for students to submit as part of their degrees.
The universities minister Jo Johnson asked student bodies and institutions for guidance to help combat “contract plagiarism”.
There are now more than 100 essay mill websites in operation, according to the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA). They charge students anything from just over £100 for a 1,000-word essay to £6,750 for a PhD dissertation. Many also offer “plagiarism-free guarantees” or essays tested against plagiarism detection software.
The QAA recommended new laws to make it illegal to help students “commit acts of academic dishonesty for financial gain”, punishable with fines of up to £5,000.
The big question is why are students using these websites. It may be a time-saving technique, as students try to balance various demands. It could also be seen as the only option for some who are really struggling with essay-writing and feel the university isn’t offering enough support. Or maybe it’s just seen as an easy way to get the job done by those not enjoying their degree.
We want to hear your experiences. Do you know of other students who have used these websites? Are the universities doing enough to combat cheating in degrees? How widespread is the use of essay-mills? How do you know? Are they ever used not for cheating purposes but to help students understand essay-writing better? Share your views with us.
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