Websites for cheaters are ahead of the learning curve.
These "paper mill websites' allow students to buy pre-written papers, and they are not churning out the same old essays. Now students can go to sites that specifically cater to their assignment.
The people behind one of the websites, researchpaperwriter.net, say they understand how students feel.
"All of us have been in your position. We understand. Whether your situation is caused by an active social schedule, the conflict between work and school or any number of factors, we exist to reduce your stress," the site reads.
Verner Mitchell, an associate professor in the English department, said it is usually obvious when students plagiarize because they use language they would not use normally.
"You tend to know your students," said Mitchell. "I find most students just copy from the Internet. A Google search pulls the paper up in most instances."
Many of the sites have a list of price quotes. Writers at essaysprofessors.com can write a university student's paper in three hours for $49.99.
History professor Maurice Crouse said he also Googles students' papers if for some reason turnitin.com does not catch plagiarism.
"When you read something that sounds like a professional wrote it, you check it," he said.
Crouse also said a flag goes up if the writing seems unprofessional.
Lawrence Welch, junior, said she has never considered cheating or plagiarizing because doing so defeats the purpose of going to school.
"It's a disrespect for one's own education," she said. "Why spend all of this money on an education? You're wasting it."
Sophomore Ashley Tierney said she has never plagiarized and that paper mill sites are unfair because people could get the same grade she does without the same effort.
"I work really hard to get the grades that I do," she said. "I put hours and hours in my work."
associate dean of student judicial affairs Dwayne Scott said the office had 92 cases of academic misconduct last year.
"Probably 98 percent were from cheating," he said.
Of disciplinary cases at The U of M, 33 percent stem from academic misconduct such as plagiarism, cheating or any form of academic dishonesty. The other 67 percent are from social misconduct such as alcohol abuse, violence or class disruption.
Scott said punishments from plagiarism and cheating range from getting an "F" on the assignment to expulsion or suspension from school.
However, students who feel they are unfairly accused can appeal the punishments. Scott said students have to prove their actions were contrary to the professor's accusation.
"Out of 92 cases, we usually get eight to 15 cases of appeal," said Scott. "We had three cheating cases reversed."
