To report this girl to her university?

[no1understands]

I am a private tutor, working with A level and degree students. This academic year, I have had enquiry after enquiry from university students asking me to do their coursework for them. I always say no, I'll help, point you in the right direction, do an assignment outline but I will not do the assignment for them. They show no interest! I feel like saying 'so, you are telling me you aren't prepared to put in ANY effort whatsoever to get your degree?' One girl said she has got someone to do her coursework for 2 years but now he can't do it, she's looking for someone else. She told me what uni it was and I've had others from there asking the same thing. I feel like ringing the university and telling them what's happening. I need more students to make my business viable. I feel like just doing the coursework for a wad of cash but when it comes down to it, I can't because I'm so angry with them! I feel like I should do something!

Yes, report them!! They will become dropouts or unemployed and resting on taxpayers' money.

I would tell the Uni, yes.

Sadly there are so many people in your job who actually do the work for them and charge a fortune.

That's really sad.

I think I would probably inform the university that students have come to you like this. Not sure I would name an individual.

When I was at university, we had to sign some sort of form stating that the work we handed in (that counted towards our actual degree) was our own.

I would definitely tell the university. It even sounds illegal to me - don't you have to sign your coursework and say it's all your own work or something?

Blimey! Just blimey! How do they get someone to do their coursework? Well I would keep saying no. I would maybe ring and say you've been approached by however many students so they have a heads up to investigate.

Yes! It annoys me when I think of all the others working so hard and this one coasting along on Daddy's money.

Trouble is you have no proof, but it may be obvious when they look at the previous work that it was 'paid for'.

Yes, I think you should ring the university. I'm not surprised you're so angry it's terrible.

YABU its plageurism and illegal, I agree with you, these students are so lazy. BUT you will need evidence I think.

Sorry that should be your NOT BU

Yes, all universities should have a plagiarism policy. It seems to be more commonplace this year, and I think it may be because people used to do it on the internet, but there is software that detects it now.

'It even sounds illegal to me - don't you have to sign your coursework and say it's all your own work or something?'

It's not illegal! And it's certainly not on the part of the person who does the coursework and charges them for it. There's a recession on and I need to pick up some extra work, send her to me so we can discuss fees.

There's a good deal of money to be had by ghostwriting. Even some academics have done it.

I know a man whose entire master's thesis was researched and written by someone else.

Although if she's got an ounce of sense she won't have given you her real name

If you get caught, you are out on your ear and no degree for you madam. In the end it is the universities decision.

Ghostwriting is in a different league to not doing your OWN coursework. Fraudulent. Misrepresentation. Immoral

I think you should report them individually personally. The uni might not be able to do anything against those students as it was a request that did not result in someone doing their work for them but at least the uni might give a warning to the students involved. In turn this might stop students trying to approach people to do work for them, as they know they might be found out.

There is a risk you could be badmouthed by those students if they realise it was you, but I would hope this would not cause problems with the work you do with the other, more honest, students, as presumably they must also be furious that other people hand in work that isn't their own.

If you just inform the uni without giving them any names, then I doubt that will be news to them.

Yes, what will happen is that if she's caught she might be expelled from the university.

Honestly (no pun intended), if she's paying someone to provide original work she submits as coursework then it might be hard to prove that, unless her writer is lazy and has provided the same work for more than one student or recycles material without due care and caution. A good one won't, however, gains a reputation as such, and can thus command fees accordingly.

You can inform on her, but it will be hard to prove unless the writer is willing to reveal himself. And who is going to do that and spoil their side income?

Y E S do report her.

The university in question will have an 'academic quality' department. They have policy relating to malpractice. Do you have the request for you to do her work in writing? I suggest you get this and then send it to her department. They have the right to go through the work she has done this academic year and check for plagiarism as her marks for this year are not confirmed until the exam board meets in the summer. She will most likely be called in for a viva and get caught out that way.
People like this are scum that make degrees worthless and ultimately contribute to the high level of unemployment in graduates by taking jobs and graduate positions from those who don't cheat.

Short answer - YANBU - I'd report them, but then again, I'm an academic.

Sansa - the software won't pick up work that has been written for the student, unless that person uses the same phrases/sentences on a number of different assignments. The software checks against the internet and all other coursework submitted.

It's for this reason that we still have exams in my department. A student may be able to get a decent grade by paying someone to write their coursework, but that won't mean anything if they fail the exam.

Actually, on my modules, the only assignment where students could get someone to write their work is the essay (20%). The other forms of assessment make it impossible to do this.

Report them. It will be against the rules of the University - it is, effectively, cheating.

Report to the university - idle buggers....
[I probably wouldn't name names but I would say what course/year/ module it was if I knew].

It's wrong - of course it is.

I can see why you feel the desire to do something about it, but it's not going to stop it :( There's nothing they can do to stop it that they aren't already doing.

You could call them about anyone whose name you have and I supose it's the right thing to do - but you jeopardise your income for one or two kids when they are but a drop in the ocean of the problem... doesn't seem like the best idea to me.

Yes there were lots doing this at uni when I was there, it's common.
I am not totally sure the uni's really care as long as they get people to pass the degree and they pay.

Combinearvester I told her that she would get found out, especially if a completely different person was writing the coursework. She said they don't really have many lectures or seminars so the lecturers don't really know her capabilities. I think that's what annoyed me too. These places are going to be charging £9000 a year from next year for what? They can't even pick out a plagiarised piece of work in 2 years?

I think the university (well the one i was at) quality checks. there are also software systems that pick up plagarism. Lad at school with me was busted for it, half way through 3rd year.

Do report her.

Exactly, dontrun. I'm well aware what the software picks up . How she performs in timed examination is her own affair. If she's looking for someone to provide her with written coursework she submits as her own in exchange for a fee she will find someone willing to provide such work, I can assure you. She assumes the risk of a) paying someone who is lazy and not careful b) someone like the OP.

This is why it is always best to submit one's own work.

But that isn't my problem. :o