Contract Cheating: Legal, Regulatory, and Policy Responses

Abstract

Contract cheating is broadly defined as an act of engagement through which a student enrolled in a program of study leading to credit or an award or other recognition arranges with another, without authorization, to supply or change content for an assessment in relation to that program such that when submitted as part of that program of study the assessment cannot reasonably be identified as being the work of the student. Contract cheating, therefore, is a form of academic misconduct that does not happen by accident and requires an intentional decision and act on the part of a student. This is in contrast to academic misconduct that might be committed inadvertently such as plagiarism. There have been a number of responses to the phenomenon of contract cheating. These include work around prevention that relies upon changes to assessment design as well as the provision of educational support to students to enable the development of relevant research skills and to promote confidence and an understanding of the importance of academic integrity in the production of work. This chapter focuses on responses in the field of legislation, regulation, and policy that seek to address and prevent the intentional act of contract cheating through the law, regulation, and policy adopted by national governments and those with regulatory and policy authority and responsibility within a national setting. Given the breadth of this area, this chapter will specifically address these issues through action taken and adopted in Ireland and the United Kingdom.

The authors thank Sue Hackett, manager, Academic Integrity Enhancement and Strategic Projects, QQI; Karena Maguire, head of partnerships, QQI; Dr. Deirdre Stritch, independent education and QA consultant; Dr. Bryan Maguire, director of integration, QQI; and Dr. Padraig Walsh, chief executive, QQI, for their helpful and insightful comments and feedback on various drafts of this chapter.