Online Cheating

Abstract

In today's society almost everywhere someone can witness technology at work. Technology has helped the world to be more productive by making task easier such as communication (cell phones, e-mail), transportation, house work, and schoolwork. When it comes to Colleges and universities today people can see that technology has let today's students research and learn in an entirely different way than in the past. Along with this modern marvel technology has also allowed more possibilities for intrusion, criminal acts, and cheating. Cheating in an online format is at a high all over the country giving teachers and professors more problems to overcome in the classroom.

What Drives online Cheating?

Technology can be used to help individuals attain educational goals. A growing educational opportunity has reached 80 of the colleges within the United States (Hamlin and Ryan, 2003). The growing opportunity is offering online education classes to students from the comfort of home, work or while on a business trip. The downside to distance education courses is inability for instructors to ensure students are turning in original work. In a study conducted with 172 students and 69 teachers at medium sized universities in the Midwest shows 64% of the teachers' believe online learning instruction helps provide students with an easier way to cheat (Krsak, 2007). Online instructors are looking into ways to prevent academic dishonesty. One way teachers can prevent the dishonesty is by using the University writing center to help determine if the paper is original or copied. Florida State University has the instructors making good use of online websites specifically designed to detect plagiarism within a student's paper (Hamlin and Ryan, 2003).

Online educators might find some difficulty in determining if the student turned in his work or allowed someone else to complete the assignment. According to Klein, et al (2006), in a poll conducted by Primetime News Program shows that 86% of students reported cheated on assignments. In the same survey students who collaborated or allowed someone to complete assignments make up 20% of the 268 students taking the survey (Klein, et al 2006). Students may use different methods for presenting unethical behaviors within classes. A student may turn to the internet to purchase online papers, turning in assignments which fail to credit the source, allowing someone else to collaborate on the assignment and a student may fail to realize the paper is a form of cheating. One interesting statistics shows that in 2002 a university instructor received the same academic paper from 47 different students (Hamlin and Ryan, 2003).

Using Internet Sources to Cheat

The internet is a highly effective tool for research. The internet can also be a useful aid to many students; by assisting them with brainstorming ideas. However, it has also helped to create a black market for purchase of term papers and other forms of cheating. Numerous college students have used these services to get an unfair advantage. This has led to a broken trust between professors and students. There is a detriment to the learning process. The problem of using the internet to cheat may be larger than schools have envisioned. Colleges and universities are having a difficult time trying to combat this unethical practice of purchasing unoriginal work.

A quick search result on Google for college term papers for sale resulted in a listing of more than 200,000 companies selling term papers. The top result is a company named "The Paper Experts." The Paper Experts (2000) boasts an inventory of over 15,000 papers. Their services range from prewritten to custom papers with topics ranging from African American studies to Zoology. Their papers include full citations in APA or MLA writing style, references and they are also checked for plagiarism. The practice of college students using this type of services is not only unethical but it continues to present difficult challenges to colleges and universities. The majority of colleges do promote the use of internet for research assistance. An important issue is the ease in which a student can purchase unoriginal material with a credit card. An instructor does not have the time or means in which to detect if a student has submitted a purchased paper. At online universities, the internet is an essential tool. Typically, an instructor will not have face to face interaction with their students. How can the school or instructors know who is completing the assignments? Purchasing term papers is unethical and more important it hinders a student's critical thinking process. Colleges are vessels of helping students learn and grow intellectually. This type of cheating is counterproductive to that process. To combat the growth of this service, colleges have used laws and the courts to pursue legal actions. Boston University sued a number of these internet services. In 1997, they brought legal action by filing a federal lawsuit against a number of these companies. Their lawsuit contended that these term paper services were in violation of wire and mail fraud, and racketeering, in seven states including violating a Massachusetts law that prohibits the sale and marketing of term papers (Roach 1998). This case was eventually dismissed; however, the university is expected to appeal this decision. They lawsuit shows that universities have dedicated themselves with educating student not simply letting them just get by. The term paper companies have skirted around many state and local laws by marketing themselves as research aids.

The internet not only offers term paper services but it also offers math answers. Math, along with accounting and statistics tends to be difficult courses for many college students. Another Google search results in numerous services that will pair up student with questions to users who have those answers. Young (2006) says that a site like "Soldier of Fortune" works like an online matchmaking service. The people whom are buying the answer post a bid of how much they are willing to pay. The downside is a student has no guarantees if the answers are correct. This site's platform mirrors eBay, where a seller of answer is rated for accuracy. This type of service is could have grave effects upon careers that are dependent up accuracy. Can a doctor who has cheated to get by, be as effective as one who struggled and barely passed?

Cheating on academic assignments or tests might seem like an easy solution to a student procrastinating and fails to allow enough time to complete the assignment. Students might have a variety of reasons for cheating but the main ones are pressure of getting good grades, working full-time, and trying