ChatGPT on the Difference Between Degree Mills and Diploma Mills

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Rich Douglas, Feb 26, 2023.

Loading...
  1. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Maybe it IS DeSantis! :eek:
     
  2. Lerner

    Lerner Well-Known Member

    I think the ChatGPT, the difference between the two is the level of fakery--degrees or diplomas is partially correct when using a definition for Diploma as something like career diplomas that are not degrees.
    Then you can't call such papers are degrees because they are not.

    But Diploma can be not just vocational or career but a degree as well.
    In this case Diploma mill is also a scam that awards fake or worthless Diplomas of degrees.

    I always made the distinction between Diploma mills and Degree mill as follows:
    Diploma Mill is paper merchant that sells papers.
    Degree Mill is a substandard provider with unrecognized education or methods, yet some level of work toward a degree may be required.
     
    Rachel83az likes this.
  3. Rachel83az

    Rachel83az Well-Known Member

    It can provide citations. But probably not accurate ones. :D
     
    Dustin likes this.
  4. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    ChatGPT? Should have a slogan - how about "It makes it up as it goes along?" (So you don't have to.)
     
  5. sanantone

    sanantone Well-Known Member

    Sometimes, you have to fight with it to provide citations. It'll say that it isn't trained to provide citations, but it has provided people with citations. However, the citations might be made up, so maybe it is correct about that. LOL.

    OpenAI is watermarking ChatGPT's work in ways that can't be detected by the user. The editor of a Sci-Fi magazine has figured out how to identify ChatGPT-generated submissions.

    https://time.com/6257471/clarkesworld-ai-science-fiction/
     
  6. Rachel83az

    Rachel83az Well-Known Member

    Not hard. You just read the submission and it's uncanny valley territory. It's not even "bad fanfic" or something like that.
     
  7. sanantone

    sanantone Well-Known Member

    U.S. law on what constitutes a diploma mill.

    The term “diploma mill” means an entity that—
    (A)
    (i)offers, for a fee, degrees, diplomas, or certificates, that may be used to represent to the general public that the individual possessing such a degree, diploma, or certificate has completed a program of postsecondary education or training; and
    (ii)requires such individual to complete little or no education or coursework to obtain such degree, diploma, or certificate; and
    (B)lacks accreditation by an accrediting agency or association that is recognized as an accrediting agency or association of institutions of higher education (as such term is defined in section 1002 of this title) by—
    (i)the Secretary pursuant to subpart 2 of part H of subchapter IV; or
    (ii)a Federal agency, State government, or other organization or association that recognizes accrediting agencies or associations.


    https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/20/1003#5

    Collins Dictionary

    degree mill
    in American English
    NOUN
    See diploma mill

    degree mill
    in British English
    (dɪˈɡriː mɪl IPA Pronunciation Guide )
    NOUN
    US derogatory
    an academic institution with low standards that awards many degrees


    https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/degree-mill

    Collins Dictionary

    diploma mill
    in American English
    US
    Informal
    an unaccredited school or college that grants relatively worthless diplomas, as for a fee

    diploma mill
    in American English
    NOUN
    1. an organization claiming to be an institution of higher learning but existing for profit only and granting degrees without demanding proper qualifications of the recipients
    2. a college or university having such a large number of students that none receives individual attention from the teachers
    Also called: degree mill


    https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/diploma-mill

    Cambridge Dictionary

    an organization that gives educational qualifications to people in exchange for money, without them having to do any or much studying:

    https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/diploma-mill

    Merriam-Webster Dictionary

    diploma mill
    a usually unregulated institution of higher education granting degrees with few or no academic requirements


    https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diploma%20mill
     
  8. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    I re-ran my experiment. This time I asked separate questions:
    • What is a diploma mill?
    • What is a degree mill?
    Lost was any distinction between these, with the responses actually conflating the two and focused on degrees, not diplomas or certificates.

    This is just a little test, but it makes me wonder if the nature of the answer depends, in part, on the way the question is asked, even if the same idea is being expressed in the questions.
     
    Johann and SteveFoerster like this.
  9. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Of course it does. "It's all in the prompts" has almost become axiomatic. Input determines output. (Garbage in, Gospel out.) :)

    Professor: "This was clearly written by an AI. You get an F."
    Student: "B-b-but I wrote all the prompts myself."
    Professor: "OK, they're worth a few marks. I'll give you an F+. You still fail."
     
    SteveFoerster likes this.
  10. sanantone

    sanantone Well-Known Member

    Kind of similar to the cow egg and chicken egg question, your first question suggested to it that there should be a difference. Instead of answering that there is no difference because there isn't, it found a way to provide an answer not caring about accuracy. In this case, it's better to just google.

    Keep in mind that post-secondary diploma programs are uncommon in the U.S. "Diploma" usually refers to the piece of paper you receive upon earning an academic credential, which includes degrees. That's why "diploma mill" refers to institutions of higher education that award degrees.
     
  11. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    1983: "If you want to know something, your best bet is either a friend or a library."

    2003: "If you want to know something, your best bet is a well-formatted Google search."

    2023: "If you want to know something, your best bet is either a friend or a library."
     
  12. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    I'm not at a loss to explain it. I'm simply choosing not to.
     
    Johann likes this.

Share This Page