From early stages of education, students across the globe are continuously taught the consequences and unethicality of cheating. Some acts, such as plagiarism, are clear violations of student integrity across many high schools and universities. However, there is a growing business in academics, capitalizing off of students’ desire for exceptional performance in school, that finds success in blurring the lines between cheating and integrity. 

What is Contract Cheating?

Contract cheating refers to a form of academic misconduct that occurs when a student takes credit for work that has been completed by a third party. According to Rutgers University, this can involve paying a company or individual to work on an assignment and obtaining or revealing answers on an online website. Third parties do not have to be paid; as long as a student falsely claims ownership over work or assists in similar actions, academic integrity has been violated and serious consequences are involved. 

Despite the risks of cheating in academia, many businesses across the world have used education as an opportunity to make profit. Students now have access to a multitude of digital platforms that provide access to databases filled with uploaded test answers, essay services, and more; all of which can be obtained by a quick transfer of money. 

Commercial Marketing and Appeal 

In order to attract students to pay for a service or test answers, contract cheating companies often utilize specific language and marketing strategies to provoke a sense of urgency and trust in potential customers. A recent study analyzing contract cheating platforms in Spain finds that most companies include possessive words, such as “you” and “I”, and promises of impressive papers or test scores in commercial promotions. Targeted language seems to assist in creating feelings of trustworthiness and ethicality, further increasing chances of a student to purchase a service offered. 

Additionally, urgent phrases and student testimonies are included on many websites and ad campaigns. Contract cheating companies rely on the different pressures of academics to further appeal towards its target audience of students at the high school or collegiate level. These specific uses of linguistics and success stories are used to market contract cheating platforms as sources of easy solutions to students facing upcoming deadlines, stress, and other obstacles.    

Economic Success and Popularity 

The popularity and profitability of contract cheating services have been notable. Just between 2014 to 2018, around 31 million students have admitted to paying other parties to complete an assignment or assist in academic dishonesty. 

Fiverr.com, a platform that can potentially be used for academic dishonesty through its different services, reported earnings of $270,000 from its ghost-writing section alone in 2017. Other websites and businesses like Fiverr.com are easy to find and charge hefty prices for academic work such as research papers, school assignments, and test answers as well. Take My Classes Online, for example, charges $79 for a completed assignment and $599 for a completed course. Because of its convenience and accessibility, contract cheating companies are widely known among students. Different platforms charge varying rates, and future profitability in academic cheating seems stable, especially among increased digital use for classwork and assignments. 

Legal Flexibility 

Despite the popularity of contract cheating in academic institutions and schools, there aren’t clear guidelines and rules regarding these platforms in some countries. Not all legislators and education authorities are thoroughly aware of the rise in academic dishonesty via online platforms. This gives companies providing students with resources to cheat an easier time avoiding legal consequences and fines from the government. Unlike New Zealand, which puts contracting companies at risk for a fine of around 6000 USD if caught advertising academically dishonest services, there is a challenge for more regulation in this industry.

Final Thoughts on Contract Cheating

Increased violations of academic conduct throughout institutions and schools across the world have become threats to the integrity of education. Models of business have further capitalized on this issue, bringing efficient resources that could easily be exploited for academic dishonesty to millions of students. 

Countries and legislators may be incentivized to address the business legalities of such entities in the future. However, the profitability of this industry remains prominent, as the rigor and stress of academia factors into the tempting pressures a student may face when given a seemingly easy solution out of an assignment or test.