We can see a rising trend among Australian students towards buying assignment writing services from professionals, varying from school-goers to undergraduate and postgraduate students in universities. Faster delivery, expert writers, and guaranteed grades are some of the promises offered by such platforms. These are the perks that are too good to be ignored as per students’ understanding. However, the increasing trend has been giving nightmares to teachers regarding its impact on learning and academic integrity.
The questions arises is that why a student want to buy assignments online Australia? An understanding of why this shift is happening is extremely important for policymakers and for universities. The reasons are not dishonesty, but most of them are stress, workload, financial difficulties, and poor counseling. The following post explores the reasons of this increase and how educational institutes can tackle this issue.
Is Getting Online Assignment Writing Services The Problem? How Wide Is Its Spread?
A new Australian survey has found that 8 to 11% of university students admit to contract cheating, where they ask someone else to do their work on their behalf. The percentage used to be way lower in earlier times with 2 to 4% of students going for this service, but better techniques now reveal higher rates.
Most students manage to get away with it, as over 95% of contract cheating remains undetected. These numbers show online assignment writing services are no longer a side option for students, rather, they are becoming the norm in the Australian academic world.
Why Students Turn to Online Assignment Writing Services?
The problem is there, but what is the reason behind it? The life of a modern-day student is full of challenges, endless submissions, tough coursework, and, above all, the pressure to achieve top grades (bestassignmentwriter.uk, 2024). There are several reasons why students turn to these services. Some of the general reasons are:
Academic Workload And Stress
- Most students have several assignments, sometimes for different subjects, all due within similar time. This results in high stress and exhaustion.
- It is common for Australian students to do jobs while being a student at the same time. This leaves little to no time for academic tasks.
- Professors will often give precise work with strict deadlines. When students fall behind, they find outsourcing their work as an only alternative.
Language Problem And Skills Gap
- There are some students who have problems with English writing, grammar, argumentative structuring or referencing. They are mainly international students or non-English speaking background students.
- When a subject is new or too complex, students feel they cannot offer good work. They might take the help of those who offer expert writers.
- It is not easy to know how to find, examine and properly use scholarly sources. Unless the students are trained, they may feel more comfortable to pay someone to do their academic projects.
Perceived Benefits And Rewards
- Students believe that professionally completed assignments will receive higher grades. The motivation is strong because grades impact scholarships, further education, and job opportunities.
- Using these services can free up time for other responsibilities, like work, family, mental rest or for subjects in which the student feels stronger.
- Some services have writers or researchers with advanced degrees. Students see value in getting help from someone with specialist knowledge in the given discipline.
External And Systemic Factors
It is easy to get writing services from an online platform. Some platforms are highly promoted through email, social media, or even on-campus outlets.
When students are not supported enough by universities, through writing centers, tutors, or feedback, then they opt for the option of paying someone to do their task for them.
There are laws prohibiting commercial cheating services in Australia, but many platforms still exist. It has the potential to be high quality, and universities do not currently have adequate policies in place to police it (Lines, 2016). It is difficult to enforce, and detection is too late, while the majority of students believe that they won’t get caught.
Risks And Consequences Involved
It is worth noting that assignment writing services online pose risks. These are:
- Academic Punishments: Students who deliver assignments written by professionals are expected to be suspended or expelled if get caught.
- Visa implications for overseas students: Misbehavior in academics can affect immigration status or the right to stay in Australia.
- Legal repercussions: Since 2020, it is illegal to promote or provide contract cheating services in Australia. Online platforms face fines and students face institutional action.
- Ethical and loss of learning: Balancing off another compromises the learning experience. Students miss out on the opportunity to build critical thinking, writing, research and subject knowledge.
- Quality and reliability issues: Not all services deliver quality work. Some give substandard, plagiarized, or irrelevant content while others give nothing.
Potential Solutions And Alternatives For Online Assignment Writing Services
In an effort to reduce reliance on these services, students, instructors, and institutions can do their part. Some effective steps in this regard would be:
Enhanced Student Support
- More workshops, tutoring, writing centers for improving academic writing, research, and time management.
- More constructive criticism on drafts so the student can know where to improve.
- Early identification of under-performing students.
Stronger Policy And Regulation
- Universities with good academic integrity policies.
- Use of detection technology.
- Legislation to punish cheat service providers and shut-down sites offering them.
Encouraging Responsible Use of Support Tools
- Using assignment services as a guide tool, like model answers or examples of structure, rather; than handing in work done by another.
- Peer learning and study groups: sharing ideas or resources legally.
- Prior planning: dividing big tasks into smaller ones, not procrastination.
Conclusion
More and more Australian students are turning to online assignment writing services because of heavy workloads, time limits, research or writing skill deficiencies, and a belief that the services provide higher grades. Although such services can seem appealingly convenient, they present extreme dangers, like penalty from institutions, ethics issues, loss of learning, and even legal issues. Students and universities are both at fault. Better support mechanisms, more effective integrity policy enforcement, and rewarding good study habits will eleiminate the need for paid writing assistance. At the same time, students need to make an effort to use help only in a way that refines their capabilities and not replace them. If the system rewards learning rather than punishing effort, fewer students will be forced into looking for external forms of help.
References
bestassignmentwriter.uk. (2024, Nov 10th). How To Use Assignment Writing Services UK. https://bestassignmentwriter.co.uk/blog/how-to-use-assignment-writing-services-uk/.
Lines, L. (2016, June 19th). Ghostwriters guaranteeing grades? The quality of online ghostwriting services available to tertiary students in Australia. Teaching in Higher Education, 21(6).