And the truly funny thing is that if Anna can do the above sufficiently well, she could almost just as easily write the paper herself. Tom Nixon
Much deeper than people imagine Academic dishonesty goes much deeper than people outside higher education imagine. So much so that many institutions, at least in the UK, have now acquired computer systems that test for cheating/dishonesty. Academic work is randomly 'tested' for cheating and quite sophisticated systems are now being tried that will even detect changes in word pattern and style so that if a student does combine library and other work with essays/assignments purchased off the net, these may be detected. It is not simply a matter of downloading material from the net and pasing it off as your own. It is those people, many former academics, who have set up net based busines soperations to provide essays/assignments. The most sophisticated do actually provide 'on-off' individualised pieces of work. On-line classes are also problematic. I know of students who have paid others to take the on-line classes and tests for them! The more we adopt an open-door/admissions policy to allow more people into higher education (people who should be at other types of non-university institutions) the greater the chance of academic dishonesty. I am all for allowing everyone to develop at their own pace and, if capable, earning a degree but lowering access standards serves neither the student nor the institutions concerned. AJJ
cheating When I was finishing up my Bachelors degree at ITT I had to write a research paper on Fido-remediation. While I was doing my research on the net, I found my paper already typed and referenced and everything. I thought about it for a few brief moments, but i figured if my teacher checked my references I would be screwed..... (almost wrote the f world ) And since graduation was at the end of that quarter, decided that honest is always the best policy. After I got my A+ I told my teacher about my find and she said I never would have known, and thanked me for my honesty. A fellow classmate said "I would have done it" of course, I consider him to be an idiot. Michael
