Atlantic Provinces Academic Integrity and Contract Cheating Policy Analysis

Abstract
Contract cheating (i.e., outsourcing of academic work) poses a threat to the integrity of credentials awarded by institutions. The global contract cheating industry is estimated to be valued at $15 Billion USD. If students have outsourced academic work to a third party (e.g., term paper mill, assignment completion services, or thesis-writing services) the integrity of the credentials they are awarded becomes questionable. In this presentation we share findings from our analysis of academic integrity policies of 13 publicly-funded universities in New Brunswick (n = 3), Nova Scotia (n = 8), Prince Edward Island (n = 1), and Newfoundland (n = 1). We pay particular attention to the ways in which contract cheating is addressed through policy documents. We conclude with concrete recommendations for policy reform. Read more about the project here: https://osf.io/n9kwt/wiki/home/
Description
Keywords
academic integrity, contract cheating, Canada, higher education, academic misconduct, academic dishonesty, term paper mill, essay mill
Citation
Eaton, S.E., Stoesz, B.M., Anderson, J. G., LeBlanc-Haley, J. (2022, January 13). Atlantic Provinces Academic Integrity and Contract Cheating Policy Analysis [Presentation]. Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission.