We know that many of you may have been set your latest essays and other assessments recently and this can be a stressful time for many students. You may be wondering where to start or how to manage your time to get everything done by the deadline.
It may be tempting, in the midst of any assignment anxieties, to take advantage of companies promoting essay writing services. However, before you consider taking any action, you should be aware of the following.
Paying for a person or company to write your essay or assignment for you is cheating, plain and simple.
Paying a person or company to write your essay or assignment is what is called an academic offence and can lead to serious repercussions, including possibly being asked to leave your course. We know that there are companies who aggressively target students with their essay and other assessment writing services, but please don’t take this risk. Not only do you undermine your hard work to date, you also risk a hefty penalty from the university. BU needs to ensure the degrees we award are of an appropriate academic standard and so we do take action against students who cheat.
If you are on a programme which provides recognition from a Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body (PSRB) and you are found to be cheating, not only is your course in jeopardy but also your career. PSRBs may ban you from the profession or if you are on a part-time course, you could lose your job, as we are duty bound to report such an incident to the PSRB. So, please don’t risk your career before it has begun.
Getting help from a friend
We all want to help our friends and course-mates, but the assessment is your opportunity to show what you know and get feedback in the areas where you need to develop. This is to help you get the best degree you can. Using another student’s work and extracting parts from this is also cheating, as is working with someone when the assessment requires you to produce the work on your own. Sometimes you may be asked to work in groups, but if it is an individual assignment, you need to do the work completely yourself.
Think we won’t know? Think again!
The Turnitin software is designed to identify work which has been plagiarised or adapted from another source and of course, your tutors are experienced in spotting work which differs from your usual style of writing. Even with anonymous marking, tutors can tell changes in style of writing within a piece, where a student has tried to make the work appear original. Plus, sometimes the bought essay might not directly address the question posed or we may even have seen it before, as they tend not to be bespoke.
Need help and support with an assignment?
If you are faced with an essay which you are struggling to get to grips with, what can you do? SUBU’s Advice Manager shares advice to help you with essay anxieties.
Firstly, don’t panic! I know this can be a worrying situation, but your programme team can help you. Contact your tutor or academic adviser if you need guidance around the assessment criteria or to find out exactly what they want you to deliver through the essay. Don’t be tempted to cheat. I know from my experience of advising students who have gone down that route that the outcome can be devastating.
“If you need to brush up on your academic writing and study skills, I would really recommend that you take a look at the range of resources from the library team, which includes guides, study sheets and videos to help you.
“If you are struggling balancing your workload, the library team is also there to help you and can support you to find the best way forward. Plus, don’t forget that the SUBU advice team can help with a wide range of concerns and provides independent advice.”
