The fourth International Day of Action Against Contract Cheating takes place on 16 October 2019. These slides were presented as part of a webinar to kick off the week looking at how the contract cheating industry has developed into an international problem and the methods available to deter and detect contract cheating at all levels, from individual to institutional. Addressing contract cheating requires a whole group effort from staff and students alike.

1. Reducing Contract Cheating –
Challenges and Solutions
14 October 2019
Webinar In Support of the 4th International
Day of Action Against Contract Cheating,
taking place on 16 October 2019
Dr Thomas Lancaster
Imperial College London
Dr Irene Glendinning
Coventry University

2. Webinar Presenters
Dr Thomas Lancaster
Senior Teaching Fellow, Department of Computing,
Imperial College London
Published the first research paper referring to
contract cheating
(with Robert Clarke)
Dr Irene Glendinning
Academic Manager for Student Experience, Office of
Teaching and Learning, Coventry University
Vice President of the European Network of Academic
Integrity (ENAI)

3. This Week
The 4th International Day of Action Against Contract
Cheating, taking place on 16 October 2019
College of DuPage, USA Coventry University, UK

4. The Third Webinar
This third webinar is presented at more of
an introductory level than the previous two

5. Questions For The Webinar
What is contract cheating?
What behaviours and activities count as contract cheating?
How is the contract cheating industry marketing itself to students?
How are students encouraged to take part in contract cheating?
How can we deter and detect contract cheating?
What opportunities are there to get involved with the International Day of Action?

6. The Contract
Cheating
Industry

7. Want Your Essay Written By A Ninja?

8. Contract Cheating
If you hire a ninja writer to
complete your assignment,
you are contract cheating

9. Contract Cheating
A student gets someone else
to complete assessments on
their behalf
which they then submit for academic credit

10. Grey Area
Is simply requesting an
assignment an offence?
or does the final product need to handed in?

11. Contract Cheating Provider Persuasion

12. More Contract Cheating Provider
Persuasion

13. Even More Provider Persuasion

14. Contract
Cheating
Industry
Customer
Acquisition
Funnels

15. Other Promotional Methods
Physically
marketing
services to
students
Befriending
students
using
messaging
services and
social media
Hiring
students to
become
brand
ambassadors
Pretending to
offer tutoring
and editing
services

16. The Contract Cheating
Industry Is Complex
A lot of money
is involved

17. Contract Cheating
Is Not Equal To
Essay Mills

18. Question
How else can students
get original work
completed for them?

19. family
Other sources
of contract
cheating
friends
current
students
former
students
local tutors
independent
writers

20. Not all contract cheating
involves money

21. Contract cheating involves
more than just essays
scripts
presentation
slides
exam
answers
projects
survey
design
reports
statistical
analysis
and many
more
assessment
types

22. What can
we do
about
contract
cheating?

23. Detecting
Contract
Cheating

24. Suspicion
Hearing
Evidence
collection
Decision on
allegation
Decision on
penalties• Who is involved at each stage?
• Is the system fair and robust?
• Where does it fail?
Why is detection so difficult?

25. Marker
Investigated
identified but
ignored
Not noticed
Followed due
process
“Not enough
evidence”
“Can’t see a
problem”
Actions will
depend on
institutional
policies
Dealt with
locally
Allegation
upheld
“More info
needed”
Panel rejects

26. Disincentives for reporting cases
• Academics / Faculty workload
• Teacher is L2 speaker, large classes
• Firm evidence is hard to find
• Colleagues don’t take it seriously
• Convinced the case will be rejected
• Burden of proof misunderstood
• Afraid to upset students, loyalties
• Teaching quality graded on pass rate
• Fear of external challenges

27. Incentives for reporting
• Clarify responsibilities for everyone
• Clear and transparent policies and procedures
• Take the burden off academics / faculty
• Remove potential for teacher / student conflict
• Train/update decision-makers
• Protect student/staff whistle-blowers
• Work with students as partners
• Training / education / support for all

28. Deterring
Cheating

29. No silver bullet, but these can help
• Better track record of detection
• Make contract cheating difficult
• Holistic course assessment strategy
• Training, education for all
• Support for L2 staff, students
• Awareness, communication
• Leniency, support first time, but then …
• Working with students as partners

30. Addressing
contract
cheating is
a group
effort

31. Discussion
What are your ideas and questions?

32. 16 October 2019
A day where we
can work in
partnership with
our students and
celebrate
academic integrity
Coincides with Global Day of Ethics

33. How You Can Get Involved This Week
Promote the event on Wednesday 16 October
Talk to your students about academic integrity
Join in with the social media discussion
#defeatthecheat
#excelwithintegrity
https://academicintegrity.org/day-against-contract-cheating

34. Thank you for joining us
#defeatthecheat
#excelwithintegrity
Dr Thomas Lancaster
Imperial College London
Dr Irene Glendinning
Coventry University