Contract Cheating: Practical Considerations

Abstract

Despite many years of research and continued recommendations for educational changes, contract cheating remains a problem for higher education. Students are exposed to marketing from contract cheating providers in person, digitally, and through social media. They can also seek out firms and individuals who are offering to complete their assessed work for them. This chapter overviews key research in the contract cheating field of interest to readers of the Handbook of Academic Integrity. The idea of a student paying or using a third party to produce assessed work for them is not new, but research specifically referring to this activity as contract cheating only dates back to 2006. The chapter notes the intense marketing activity that takes place in this space, how this can lead to students cheating, the need for continued education and student support, and the risks that students who contract cheat are exposed to, including the potential for future blackmail and extortion. The chapter provides practical tips and suggestions for instructors who are looking to reduce the opportunities for and impact of contract cheating. It suggests that preventative measures should be taken where possible, including working with students as partners and considering designing assessment that students feel are valuable and which will help them to meet their future career goals. The chapter also discusses how contract cheating detection technology is developing; this can provide a deterrent effect for students who are considering contract cheating, but which should not be relied on as a solution to the problem. The chapter concludes by discussing the continuing evolution of the contract cheating industry, including the risks posed by artificial intelligence and technologies that use large language models to appear to write in an academic style.