campusreview . com . au policy & reform
Setting the standard
Create a culture of integrity to combat plagiarism and contract cheating .
By Anna Borek
Worried about the prevalence of academic misconduct at your institution ? You might have good reason to be .
While the Australian government moved to outlaw the advertisement and provision of contract cheating services in September 2020 , it ’ s unlikely to stamp out the practice of paying a third party for an assignment and passing it off as your own on its own merit .
Research carried out by University of NSW Associate Dean of Education Cath Ellis , prior to the passing of amendments to the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 , indicated that between six and 10 per cent of students have used essay mills . It ’ s likely many are continuing to do so given dark web suppliers are yet to shut up shop , despite the legislation and the custodial sentence a conviction can invite .
THE INSIDIOUS EFFECTS That ’ s bad news for students who avail themselves of the ‘ products ’ essay mills churn out , the institutions at which they study and their peers who want to achieve under their own steam .
An instance of academic dishonesty that goes undetected can be emboldening . So much so that a one-off act can easily become a pattern and then an ingrained habit . Research shows that this particular habit is linked to workplace deviance – misbehaviour that deliberately damages an organisation or its employees .
For honest students , suspecting or seeing that a classmate who doesn ’ t put the work in is getting through via illicit means can be discouraging and demotivating . Some who are struggling themselves may be tempted to follow their peers down the easy road . Hence , the extraordinary rise of essay mills over the past decade .
And education providers ? Becoming known as a place where cheating is prevalent does little for reputation and less for enrolments .
SETTING A STANDARD AND STICKING TO IT
We believe it ’ s critical for institutions and educators to tackle the issue of academic integrity head on , in a proactive and positive way .
That entails embedding it in the syllabus ; stating and reinforcing the message that it ’ s important ; and providing ample opportunities for students to practise doing the right thing at the secondary and tertiary levels .
Compulsory classes to instruct students in the art of citing and referencing the research and writings of others are a must – and it ’ s helpful if those lessons are more than mere formatting tutorials . Using real examples from academic and popular publications , and teaching students to cite one another ’ s work , are good ways to empower students in their writing and reinforce the message that academic integrity is integral to learning and success even beyond their schooling years .
Setting and upholding expectations and standards early on is also paramount . That means making it crystal clear from the outset that contract cheating and plagiarism are unacceptable – no ifs and buts ! – and that comprehensive citations are a must , on each and every draft . Permit students to bolt references on to the end of their final draft and there ’ s the chance some will conveniently ‘ forget ’ to do so .
TOOLS THAT DETER AND DETECT In an ideal world , students at risk might be identified early on and provided with personalised academic support to suit their own individual requirements . This will require academic institutions to have the right policies , procedures and technologies in place and staff who are able to demonstrate empathy to resolve the situation . The focus must be on the student experience , and strategies should be put in place which provide a logical , flexible and evolving situation to support both the student and the institution .
However , the most effective policies usually comprise both carrot and stick . When it comes to academic integrity , that means encouraging and affirming students who do the right things and putting measures in place to identify those who do not . AI-driven academic integrity software plays a vital role in deterring and detecting academic misconduct . It can cause vulnerable or unscrupulous students to think twice before ‘ outsourcing ’ an assignment to a classmate , ‘ tutor ’ or essay mill , given the increased likelihood of their being caught and disciplined .
PROTECTING A PROUD TRADITION Honesty , fairness , responsibility and respect are fundamental values which Australian educational institutions have always held dear . Creating a culture of academic integrity will help us continue to uphold them into the future . ■
Anna Borek is the director of academic partnerships at Turnitin .
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