EssayBay.com
One of the librarians pointed out this article to me in Wednesday's MX (which I've keyed in below), a free paper widely distributed on public transport along the eastern seaboard of Australia. What I find most troubling is that the article has a very positive tone in regards to this service, mentions that academics are involved, and names several universities specifically, mine included. It never mentions the serious penalties students can incur should their use of this material be discovered, nor is the serious academic misconduct on part of the staff members providing the service considered (as was raised in a reply to my Unilearn posting by Michael Carey).
I'm not sure what the best response should be, but thought that perhaps our professional organisation should have something to say?
Cheers,
Leighana:)
From the 13/2/2008 edition of the MX newspaper
Writing Service
Keeping essays at bay
Julia Phipps
A website is selling custom-made academic assignments to Australian students.
Students post an assignment topic on the UK website and writers from Australia and overseas bid for the job of writing the project.
EssayBay.com launched in Australia last year, with writers bidding to write assigments for students who list topics online.
If students buy the copyright from the author they can pass the work off as their own.
Fifteen writers with credentials from the Australian National University, Melbourne University, Sydney University, University of South Australia, Australian Catholic University, and Queensland University of Technology are registered to sell their skills.
"We attract a lot of academics because it's a lucrative move, you can command such high fees," the site's PR officer Jed Hallam says.
Prices depend on word count, delivery date, feedback from previous buyers and writers' credentials, with essays selling for up to $1800.
Australian essay sales are booming - doubling every month since September.
They initially attracted about 40 - 50 sales a month.
"We're in a similar vein to eBay," he said. "It's very cloak and dagger, with this site we verify qualifications and act as a mediator between the two."
It's a simple process - post your essay topic on the site and academics and writers bid to write it for you.
Hallam said students were getting a raw deal from universities as they became more commercialised.
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it stinks!, ....
... but 'essaybay' are not the only ones selling assignments. The 'assignment mill' industry is booming in Oz and elsewhere. I'm aware of at least 8 different websites selling a range of academic work to Australian students, including one (which I haven't had a chance to check out) offering Master and PhD theses.
Ironically 'essaybay' has plagiarism software built into its site offering students who purchase an essay the opportunity to ensure that the assignment(
they have purchased and which they will illegally submit as their own, was not plagiarised!
It is very difficult for universities to detect 'purchased' essays, unless they are submitted by students who have limited English themselves! Apparently many students who are linguistically competent purchase assignments - gives them more time to socialise/find PT employment, .... Some even make contractual arrangements with one or more writers to ensure 'consistency' in style thus making it even harder to be detected.
What concerns me particularly is the 'normal/positive' spin which the MX author puts on her story. I intend to write on behalf of AALL (good suggestion, Ros) to the MX editor to complain.
cheers
alex
EssayBay
This is a no-win situation for all concerned, except the so-called service provider. The student is dudded financially and educationally, the university's reputation is trashed, and the end-user (employer) is also robbed. Very difficult to see how anyone could put a positive spin on such a dishonest practice.
It's possible there are also immigration implications for people presenting as having certain qualifications which are not actually worth the paper they are printed on. Sadly this is likely to have the university's insignia on it!
Essay Bay and customised assignment services in Australia
Any chance you could provide the names of some of those sites, Alex?
buying essays on line
HelenH
the list would be too long. I just googled 'assistance with essays', 'essays on line', 'buying essay' and got dozens of hits. This is a serious and highly lucrative business, particularly since it's difficult to detect an 'original' essay purchased on line.
cheers
alex
Essay Bay
Thanks Alex. It was the Australian ones I was most interested in. I did google a little, but even restricting my search to Australia brought up mainly o/s sites.
Makes one wonder whether the growth of this e-cheating industry will see a reduction in written and take home assignments with a concomitant return to exams.
Perhaps an awareness of the activities of many of these sites might mitigate against the possible attraction for universities of outside online tutoring services.
Oz paper mills
Australian students purchase mainly o/s, but specify their institutions' requirements re academic conventions (citing/referencing, ...) spelling 'colour' instead of 'color', etc. I have come across about 6-8 Oz paper mills, but have not kept their details as I have a tendency to write my own stuff ...
The 'paper mills' cannot be sued/shut down as it is not illegal for anyone to purchase an essay. What is illegal is to submit it anywhere (including publishers!!!) as your own.
cheers
a
wanna buy cheap PhD????
not only can one buy assignments, but whole degrees. Again this is not new. Unfortunately for the suckers who shop for these diplomas, the non-accredited universities are listed at about every tertiary institution, so the chances of getting away with a bought PhD are slim and the penalties, if caught, high: usually dismissal. Have a look for yourself. alex
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