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AIBU?

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Original poster

DD paid £130 to get an assignment done for her.

317 replies

Piggie90 · 24/04/2019 01:03

DD went away this long weekend and completely ignored her college research project before she went away. Cut a very long story short, she used some of her birthday money (18th) to pay a company (didn't even know they existed) to write a 2500 word project for her.

AIBU to never lend her a penny again? I'm actually fuming.

OP posts:
HowManyFlatCaps · 24/04/2019 03:25

CallIt — of course you think that the ones who cheat get their comeuppance eventually. The ones who cheat and get away with it, you never find out about Grin

mathanxiety · 24/04/2019 03:33

I agree with Humpy84.

Her heart is not in her studies. What is going on with her?

I also think you should stop funneling money to her for little things like bus and lunch money. She needs to be more self sufficient. Cut out personal services like laundry too if you do this for her.

Let her get a p/t job if she doesn't have one already. It might focus her mind on how shitty low wage jobs and pay are, and force her to manage her time better.

I doubt she will be found out. This isn't plagiarism per se. It's cheating, and of course she will have to live with herself forever with this in her heart.

Decormad38 · 24/04/2019 03:49

I always recognised these essays when marking without Turnitin. The reason being:
It’s not the style of writing of a mediocre 18 year old. That raises suspicion.
Also we get to recognise the essays.Despite the so called individuality.
If she’s in FE it’s even easier to spot Im afraid!
If she’s doing a professional course ( like nursing) the student is also in breach of the NMC Code so absolutely no qualms about removing them.
In New Zealand this would be classed as an illegal act!

BadLad · 24/04/2019 03:50

Is there good money in this?

I might suggest it next time I see a post on here where someone needs money quickly.

It would make a change from Become a childminder, or Take in ironing.

barryfromclareisfit · 24/04/2019 04:07

When you have to mark, it’s surprising how easy it is to recognise work you’ve seen before.

LonelyTiredandLow · 24/04/2019 04:32

I actually know someone who admitted to me they had done this. They had a very poorly planned programme) I was on the course and can vouch for it and 3 small children. They had already had an extension as each child had been ill in turn in the weeks leading up to the deadline plus a few health issues of their own. He ordered one and it was barely comprehensible and clearly written by someone with a poor grasp of English. The thrust of the essay was apparently sound but it would have mean re-writing it anyway. He had to cobble together his own with a couple of days to spare in the end, which he did. I think it's funny how many people seem to think they can buy this 'perfect' essay when really there is no recourse if it goes wrong. I imagine thousands of students are scammed in this way every day! Some might say it serves them right, others might say it shows up a systemic failure of modern day universities and their audiences.

Fazackerley · 24/04/2019 04:45

I doubt the college will notice. Essay mills don't plagiarise if they are good at it. If it's a one off then I would let it go. Long term I'd be talking to her about whether she genuinely feels this is the right course for her. She spent her birthday money on it so it's her decision, you didn't pay for it.

PregnantSea · 24/04/2019 04:53

Absolutely do not give her a penny again! Well, not at least until a lot of time has passed and she has proven that she's changed and matured.

Tell the college. They won't kick her out if it's a first offence. This is by far the best way to ensure that it never happens again as they will be on high alert. Also this makes it clear to your daughter that you don't condone what she did. I think that keeping her secret, even if you tell her off, sends the message that it's ok to do stuff like this and that will protect her from the consequences if she makes bad choices.

PregnantSea · 24/04/2019 04:54

*that you will protect her from

Fazackerley · 24/04/2019 04:54

I can't imagine what kind of parent you'd have to be to tell the college about this. Not to mention your dd has presumably confided in you.

sashh · 24/04/2019 05:26

She will probably be found out. Attempted plagiarism is rife in FE colleges, but easy to spot.

1)the style of writing

  1. the spelling,or lack of or the big one suddenly an entire essay is in American spelling

  2. The content is not what was asked for, a couple of examples from marking health and social care assignments, one that started telling me about the spy shop in London, the essay was on 'health surveillance' so things like the film badges worn by radiographers, the other one was supposed to be an essay on the human respiratory system but included building regulations because the writer misunderstood, 'ventilation'.

She may get asked to do the '5 word test', she will have 'her' assignment given back to her with ever 5th word blanked out and asked to fill in the gaps. When it is your own essay you can do it easily, when it isn't, well you struggle.

I can't imagine what kind of parent you'd have to be to tell the college about this. Not to mention your dd has presumably confided in you.

One that values education, if this isn't picked up by the college and it is picked up by the external verifier then the college is in big trouble.

OP

Please inform the college, I'm guessing she is on something like a BTEC. It can be handled by the college and their disciplinary policy.

JAMMFYesPlease · 24/04/2019 05:33

As a freelance writer, I used to get asked to do homework and college essays all the time. Each time I turned them down.

I know one writer who would inform the college if he got the details. He once got the college, tutor, and class details so sent off proof of the student attempting to buy the essay.

YANBU for being livid btw. I can't stand people who try to cheat their way through college. It doesn't help them when they can't do the exams or do the job they want.

LellyMcKelly · 24/04/2019 05:36

I’m a lecturer and get one or two of these in almost every batch of essays these days. They’re usually pretty easy to spot because they’re too well written, they use sources that our library doesn’t have, they don’t use any of the hints and tips discussed in class, the referencing is correct but not the style we use, the document properties suggest that the student has spent 20 minutes writing an entire essay (when they’ve just pasted it into a clean document and fiddled about with it)...the list goes on. For a first offence they get 0 and have to do the resit, for a second they fail the unit.

I’d be more worried about why she did it. When essays are bought they’re almost always bought by failing students - those who are doing poorly on their course. How is her performance?

SunshineCake · 24/04/2019 05:59

It really isn't "ingenious"Hmm.

I wouldn't tell her lecturers but very stern words would be had and a long talk on managing finances and time would be had.

Rezie · 24/04/2019 06:10

I did my post grad last year. As a mature student I was shocked to find out how openly the students talked about hiring either friends or a company to write their essays. Especially thesis. If the company is reputable (can it really be?) Turnitin doesn't recognize the work since it is still original. My supervisor said that he knows when they are bought, but it is a big accusation to make if it is not flagged by programmes.

FrustratedTeddyLamp · 24/04/2019 06:14

I think shes likely to be spotted, when i was in my second year i had no clue what to do so i talked someone into sending me their work, whilst i dont believe i copied their work as i only read it once and i did mine on a different company, my lecturer called me in to have a chat she asked what happened and i told her.

Turns out it was because they were structured the same, luckily for me the lecturer let me off due to my honestly and i got a better mark than the other person.

My point is if they can spot it just because of the layout of the document then with how popular these services are then she is probably fucked.

fluorescentorange · 24/04/2019 06:16

My sons friend did this about 10 years ago and got caught and kicked out of Warwick for plagiarism, I think she isn’t as clever as she thinks she is!!

PaquitaVariation · 24/04/2019 06:17

She may get asked to do the '5 word test', she will have 'her' assignment given back to her with ever 5th word blanked out and asked to fill in the gaps. When it is your own essay you can do it easily, when it isn't, well you struggle

I’m really glad this wasn’t a thing when I was at university because I would never have passed even though I wrote every word of my essays! Once written they were forgotten, never to be revisited.

MaverickSnoopy · 24/04/2019 06:20

I am part of a Freelancer Facebook group and became aware through the group that students are doing this quite a lot. For example a lady was hired to write what she was told was an article for publication, she had no clue that it was an essay. Eventually after it was submitted the brief changed for revisions and then eventually it came out that it was an essay. Many other freelancers jumped in and said there's a lot of this gong on and that it's pretty standard these days. Everyone agreed that they would never do it knowingly.

I don't know what the answer is. I suppose lecturers need to know students writing style - but then they have so many students.

Purplecatshopaholic · 24/04/2019 06:22

As someone who - shock, horror - actually wrote her own assignments at Uni, I find this practice really wrong. However I believe it is common nowadays (but HE and FE are wise to it and there is increasingly clever software to counteract it).

Sarcelle · 24/04/2019 06:22

I would not tell the college however tempting that would be. I would reiterate to your DD that she is a cheat, how disappointed you are in her, and that you will not be giving her anymore money for the duration of her course.

sashh · 24/04/2019 06:22

PaquitaVariation

You would be surprised, you don't have to remember the essay but your style of writing will allow you to 'guess' and be right. You also might forget your essay but you retain the information/research put into it so you can apply it.

justloseit · 24/04/2019 06:24

Can’t believe people would grass yo their own kid Shock

justloseit · 24/04/2019 06:24

*up

SnowsInWater · 24/04/2019 06:24

I'd be more upset about the fact that she is a cheat than the money.

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