Defeat the cheat: Five ways to tackle contract cheating

October 18, 2017

Throw the phrase ‘contract cheating‘ into a conversation with an academic and you are bound to have a lively discussion. How prevalent is it? What do you do if you suspect it? And above all, what can educators really do about it? 

 

If you haven’t heard of contract cheating, it involves the use of third-party services to complete academic work. This work could be an essay, assignment, exam or any piece of marked work.

 

Exciting research is being undertaken internationally and this month, the QAA published its own guidance on tackling contract cheating in higher education. Drawn from best practice, current theory and the latest research, their guidance aims to give practical solutions for those in higher education.

 

We’ve pulled out 5 of the key recommendations from the QAA report and mapped out how our collaborative Academic Integrity project addresses these issues.   

QAA recommendation…

…how Academic Integrity can help

1

“Relying on a passive approach to communicating this information (about expectations and sanctions) is not likely to be effective.”

Take a proactive approach to academic integrity education! Our programme is a powerful way to make your expectations and policies visible and real. 

For students…

2

“Students need to know that the provider takes these issues seriously and that there is a high likelihood of being caught if they were tempted to cheat.”

Send a powerful message about your academic standards. Educate students about expectations and consequences, while also equipping staff with the same knowledge and skills.

3

“Students will benefit from knowing their peers’ attitudes to cheating.” 

We’ll include real students’ views on cheating behaviour; such as video interviews, animated stories and interactive polls that gather real-time data.

For staff…

4

“…Ensure that staff understand the reasons why students might commit contract cheating.”

The programme includes a staff module on misconduct which explores the motivations for and practicalities of contract cheating; as well as evidence-based, practical solutions and strategies for both teaching and non-teaching staff.

5

“Provide training to academic staff on the design and use of resilient assessment methods.”

The staff-facing programme will include a module on good assessment design. Written and peer reviewed by leading experts it will feature classroom ready tools, techniques and templates suitable for staff working in a range of roles and disciplines.

 

What are other countries doing?

In Australia a similar report has been published by TEQSA written by Dr. Tracey Bretag – Good Practice Note: Addressing contract cheating to safeguard academic integrity – and has some really useful insights into how universities down under are dealing with these challenges.

 

Epigeum’s Academic Integrity course collaboration

Our Academic Integrity project will form a suite of online courses, for both university students and staff, taking a holistic approach to academic integrity and we are pleased to see how the QAA’s report aligns with our objectives.

We are looking for more institutions to join our collaboration to help shape the curriculum.  Participants will have the opportunity to work with an international team of experts, led by subject expert Dr. Tracey Bretag, along with these leading universities already taking part:

  • Australian National University
  • Massey University
  • University of Malaya
  • University New South Wales
  • University of South Australia

 

To find out more about Academic Integrity and how your institution can join the collaboration click here or email epigeum@oup.com.

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