Plagiarism in science education: Preventing cheating via online auctions

Abstract

This paper describes a relatively new, but rapidly expanding, cause for concern for academics and administrators, that of students plagiarizing by using online auctions, a practice also known as “contract cheating”. The prevention and detection of such plagiarism in the context of science education presents particular difficulties. The paper suggests possible methods to minimize the number of occurrences, ensuring that as few students cheat as possible, and describes various techniques to aid in the detection of those that do.