Academic Fraud
Academic Fraud
Academic Fraud
Introduction
There are many forms of academic fraud: purchasing degrees;
lying on CVs; cheating in examinations. The aim of this booklet
is to alert the reader to some of these malpractices.
Degree Mills
1
spring up overnight and disappear again, but the Department of
Education estimates there are between 70 and 80 of them.’1
1
Speaking in the Guildhall at the 5th degree conferment ceremony of the
National Academic Awards
2
For the purposes of this booklet the term will also be used to embrace
organisations offering not only degrees, but diplomas, certificates,
licentiateships, etc.
2
When asked that question, an official from the Department of
Education in California (where there are many degree mills
operating), responded:
3
Advanced level pass3. Similarly, after a limited number of
essays have been submitted for a Bachelor’s degree, students
can be informed that their standard is already above the
qualification for which they are registered. Accordingly, they are
recommended to register for a higher degree, for example a
Master’s degree. This is an attractive opportunity for students
anxious to demonstrate their supposed ability and to increase
either their employability or social status. Yet those who award
degrees on the basis of such inadequate standards would
vigorously contest that they deserve the label ‘degree mill’. In
which case, what can be classed as a degree mill?
3
UK equivalent of a high school leaving certificate taken at the age of 18 for
entry into university
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been well documented, supporting this innovative approach.
Unfortunately, degree mills have often abused this worthwhile
development for their own ends.
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which, in many instances, operators are willing to pursue
because they have the money and resources to respond to any
challenge to their authenticity. Civil servants have been among
those to suffer threats. For example, a group of senior
industrialists from Italy holding a non-recognised qualification
put effective pressure on their government which, in turn,
ensured that the work of the E.U. civil servant working at the
Council of Europe on exposing degree mill operators could not
proceed as planned.
Advertising
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degrees advertised in a publication featuring
innumerable advertisements for lower priced goods,
second-hand items, cheap holidays and the like?
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Check if you can find reference to these staff in other
sources.
8
Are scholarships offered which are, in reality, merely
discounts?
Academic Standards
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what is the system to ensure detailed checking of
previous experience?
10
Are esoteric and off-beat subjects offered which you
would not expect to be the subject of a higher education
award?
The Campus
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Does the university seek to attract students from other
parts of the world, mainly those from developing
countries?
4
‘Let the buyer beware’
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Lies, Damned Lies and Creative CVs
13
Bible College. Similarly, the son of a Hong Kong billionaire
admitted that he did not complete the degree at Stanford
University cited in publicity material produced by his company,
Pacific Century Cyberworks. There are many more cases which
could be given as examples of this increasing fraud. Witness
the resignation of a senior minister from Angela Merkel’s
German government because of a plagiarised doctoral thesis.
14
Increased Competition for Jobs
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with this, the number of personnel with the responsibility of
interviewing staff may have been reduced; hence less time is
spent in checking applications. This is usually even more
common in the case of recruitment for lower level jobs.
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aware that such organisations are not valid, or they can be so
desperate to acquire a degree or so naïve that they convince
themselves that the qualification is authentic.
Types of Untruths
Untrue Claims
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have been educated at a certain school;
hold an award or honour;
have held a commission in the armed forces;
have had books or articles published;
hold a degree, or have a higher grade than that actually
awarded.
18
his CV “I studied geography at Oxford”. In reality he had been to
Oxford on holiday and purchased a street map to find his way
around.
Distortion
Exaggeration
19
It is difficult to assess and verify claims such as:
‘I was personally responsible for turning around the
entire operation in the North West’
‘I was in the top five per cent of the class’
Similarly:
‘I saved the organisation more than £100m’
‘I increased market share by over 100 per cent’
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Omissions
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found what they like to do best; if a person has taken a
reduction in salary, ascertain why.
Methods of Detection
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outcome has been high staff turnover in some large outsourcing
groups, arising from the weeding out of those who lied on their
CVs.
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Use of standard printed forms
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Using a specialist checking agency
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To Sum Up
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An interesting dilemma is that of an employee asking to correct
information on his or her CV; this problem is not at all
uncommon. Dealing with such matters can be simplified if all
selected personnel have been required to sign a statement that
any falsification on their CV or job applications may result in
termination of employment. This may deter the use of false
information or exaggeration.
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Academic Fraud and Examinations
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could also attempt to bribe lecturers. In Russia when
there was an anti-corruption drive by a central
government to end this, a more sophisticated approach
was developed. A student would be encouraged to pay
an outside company for private tutoring and this would
be owned by the lecturer or their partner.
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add names to the list of those graduating or passing
examinations.
30
indicate that one in six university students has tried
smart pills.
31