From collaboration to contract cheating
Exploring staff and student perceptions of the grey areas of academic outsourcing
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19378643 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Rebecca Pike (0000-0002-3378-4409, University of Bristol, corresponding author), Lucy A Buck (University of Bristol), Eleanor Tsoukkas (University of Bristol), Emily Bell (0000-0003-4102-3690, University of Bristol) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 50 |
| Issue | 8 |
| Pages | 1360-1380 |
| Publication date | 2025-11-17 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0260-2938 • E-ISSN: 1469-297X |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/02602938.2025.2539291 |
| OpenAlex | W4413304820 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 48 |
Academic misconduct, including plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating, is a growing concern in Higher Education, particularly with the rise of online assessments. This study examines staff and student perceptions of outsourcing behaviours at a research-intensive UK university, exploring their prevalence, acceptability and influencing factors. Through quantitative and qualitative data collected via surveys and focus groups, findings revealed a consensus that outsourcing behaviours such as having another individual edit your assessment or complete the assessment for you are unacceptable, particularly when financial transactions are involved. Note-sharing and proofreading were perceived as acceptable and common by both staff and students, but when financial transactions were involved this split opinion. Students tended to perceive outsourcing behaviours as more common and acceptable than staff. Emotional stress, poor institutional support, student motivations and unclear academic integrity guidelines were identified as key drivers of misconduct. Strategies to combat misconduct include clearer institutional policies and training, attention to vulnerable student groups and assessment design reforms that enhance engagement and integrity. This study highlights the need for a collaborative approach between staff and students emphasising shared responsibility for academic integrity, the importance of engagement and structured support to mitigate cheating behaviours
Academic integrity · Business · Cheating · Higher education · Outsourcing · Pedagogy · Perception · Political science · Public relations · Qualitative research · Semi-structured interview · Sociology · Academic integrity and plagiarism · Ethics in Business and Education · Outsourcing and Supply Chain Management · Psychology · Social Psychology · Marketing
Student Survey Response Rates across Institutions
Academic Performance and Cheating
The Impact of Anonymity on Responses to Sensitive Questions 1
How Common Is Commercial Contract Cheating in Higher Education and Is It Increasing? A Systematic Review
Thematic analysis.
Assignment outsourcing
‘Mess, stress and trauma’
Cheating in e-exams and paper exams
Contract cheating and assessment design
You don’t always get what you pay for
Establishing the critical elements that determine authentic assessment
‘At least they’re learning something’
How vulnerable are UK universities to cheating with new GenAI tools? A pragmatic risk assessment
‘Just turn to us’
Academic integrity
The law and the outlaw
Academic integrity
Committed to the honor code
Academic Discipline Integration by Contract Cheating Services and Essay Mills
Raising Awareness on Contract Cheating –Lessons Learned from Running Campus-Wide Campaigns
Online University Teaching During and After the Covid-19 Crisis
Sensitive questions in surveys
Contract cheating
The tangled web
Contract cheating and blackmail
Contract cheating
Thematic Analysis
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |