Site promotes plagiarism
Issue date: 3/20/08 Section: Editorial
Essaybay.com is only a conduit to facilitate interaction between writers and buyers, and thus does not claim responsibility for the way in which the essays are used. The terms and conditions for many essay sites suggest buyers are expected to use essays obtained through the site only as a reference, much like they would use journal articles on the Internet. The buyer should then rewrite the work so they turn in a custom essay of their own.
However, a buyer who specifies word length and spacing and provides the criteria with which the essay will be judged is unlikely to use the product they purchase as a mere reference tool.
Barclay Littlewood, owner of the site, said projects have been purchased for a little as $20 and as much as $40,000, according to an article in "The Recorder," a newspaper based in Connecticut. Projects range from brief essays to complete dissertations.
According a survey conducted by essaybay.com, athletes comprise nearly half of the buyers, and the majority of those athletes purchase essays with the approval of their coaches to help them stay on a sports team.
Jed Hallam, public relations director for the site, which is based in England, said in an article from Brown University's independent student newspaper: "In the U.K., we've seen parents and grandparents buying essays for a couple of years now to make sure their students are achieving what they set out to do. For coaches to use the essays to ensure their athletes are getting scholarships and into the Ivies is no surprise, but apparently it's become a surprise for America and the American education system."
As the essay industry becomes more advanced, efficient and marketable, purchasing an essay cannot be treated as legitimate means for passing a class or "earning" acceptance to a competitive university.
Submitting someone else's work as one's own is cheating. There is no viable excuse.
However, a buyer who specifies word length and spacing and provides the criteria with which the essay will be judged is unlikely to use the product they purchase as a mere reference tool.
Barclay Littlewood, owner of the site, said projects have been purchased for a little as $20 and as much as $40,000, according to an article in "The Recorder," a newspaper based in Connecticut. Projects range from brief essays to complete dissertations.
According a survey conducted by essaybay.com, athletes comprise nearly half of the buyers, and the majority of those athletes purchase essays with the approval of their coaches to help them stay on a sports team.
Jed Hallam, public relations director for the site, which is based in England, said in an article from Brown University's independent student newspaper: "In the U.K., we've seen parents and grandparents buying essays for a couple of years now to make sure their students are achieving what they set out to do. For coaches to use the essays to ensure their athletes are getting scholarships and into the Ivies is no surprise, but apparently it's become a surprise for America and the American education system."
As the essay industry becomes more advanced, efficient and marketable, purchasing an essay cannot be treated as legitimate means for passing a class or "earning" acceptance to a competitive university.
Submitting someone else's work as one's own is cheating. There is no viable excuse.
