I belong to a website that brings together freelancers (of all natures and professions) and "employers." I receive e-mail notifications of projects, which I am free to bid on or not. Last night I got the following "project" in my inbox. Allan saw my jaw hit the floor and got worried that I might have broken a few teeth.
Category: Writing / Editing / Translation
Description:
I am
looking for someone to complete a research paper. The paper currently
is 10 pages but needs 20 more pages added, ensuring it flows with the
10 that are already finished and based on the requriements below.
Should discuss all the the following themes:
1) [Theme snipped out]
The paper should have a [xxxxx] focus.
There
should be citation in the text and in the bibliography/ presentation:
tables, charts, maps illustrations should be included in the text or
appended where applicable.
Have at least 10 sources, do not rely soley on internet sources. Be sure to use academic books and journals as references.
Should be double or one and a half spaced typing, w/ one-inch margins in 12 or 11 pitch font.
Use Section headings.
General outline provided and about 10 pages already written.
_____________________________________________________________
Okay? Anyone else think this is completely unethical and whacked?
Oh, and my teeth are all intact, in case you were wondering.
Holy crap, my jaw just dropped too!
Out of curiosity, how much were they offering for the completion of their research paper?
Posted by: samantha | June 02, 2006 at 15:17
A price was not mentioned in the project description. Usually an employer will have a maximum budget for a project, and the professional will bid on the project based on that budget and her own going rate for the task at hand.
Posted by: Alison | June 02, 2006 at 15:24
Please excuse me, I had to get off my academic high horse, and go back and erase my credentials. Donnie Deutsch had a program on last night on cheating. He talked about how he believed that people were basically good. Please send this to him at CNBC.
Let me tell you what it's like to get one of those when you're teaching. You don't get a well-written, well-researched paper from someone that can't write or speak complete sentences in class. Makes you a believer in Cinderella. All misspellings are all mine, or are they misstypings?
Posted by: Monty | June 02, 2006 at 15:48
Do you get their degree too? I mean if your going to do the work! Ha ha ha!
Posted by: cj | June 02, 2006 at 15:58
oh yeah, that's wacked. what a piece of work. so deceitful.
Posted by: ally bean | June 02, 2006 at 16:20
You should take the job and write a horrible paper. :-)
Posted by: catheroo | June 02, 2006 at 16:39
It doesn't surprise me a bit, but YES, it is very unethical. However, whenever there is money involved, concerns about ethics seem to fly out the window.
Posted by: Margaret | June 02, 2006 at 19:35