Removing the opportunity for contract cheating in business capstones: a crime prevention case study
Introduction: With a definition that is evolving, a serious component of the contract cheating issue involves individuals paying a third-party to complete assessment items for them and then submitting this work as if it were their own. The issue of contract cheating poses a significant problem for t...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
University of South Australia
2017
|
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/65719 |
| _version_ | 1848761189484462080 |
|---|---|
| author | Baird, Michael Clare, J. |
| author_facet | Baird, Michael Clare, J. |
| author_sort | Baird, Michael |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Introduction: With a definition that is evolving, a serious component of the contract cheating issue involves individuals paying a third-party to complete assessment items for them and then submitting this work as if it were their own. The issue of contract cheating poses a significant problem for tertiary institutions. The research literature conducted to date has addressed contract cheating, yet few papers discuss theory-based prevention strategies, and even fewer still evaluate the impact of theory-based prevention strategies. Case description: This paper discusses a case study of contract cheating that was identified in a business simulation operating in a capstone unit at a large Australian university. The problem is outlined, the theory-based intervention is explained, and the impact on the contract cheating problem is quantified. Discussion and evaluation: Building on a platform provided by criminological theory and crime prevention practice, the Unit Coordinator systematically adjusted a large number of assessment elements to ensure contract cheating was less likely. Importantly, this intervention was effective but also did not disadvantage students who were not engaging in contract cheating. Conclusions: Overall, this paper connects criminological theory and crime/problem prevention practice with academic misconduct issues with the intent of demonstrating there is potential to minimise the opportunity for contract cheating by altering the opportunity structures for assessment items. Crucially, this can be done without impeding genuine student efforts and does not depend on apprehension and conviction. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:27:43Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-65719 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:27:43Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publisher | University of South Australia |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-657192018-11-09T00:31:04Z Removing the opportunity for contract cheating in business capstones: a crime prevention case study Baird, Michael Clare, J. Introduction: With a definition that is evolving, a serious component of the contract cheating issue involves individuals paying a third-party to complete assessment items for them and then submitting this work as if it were their own. The issue of contract cheating poses a significant problem for tertiary institutions. The research literature conducted to date has addressed contract cheating, yet few papers discuss theory-based prevention strategies, and even fewer still evaluate the impact of theory-based prevention strategies. Case description: This paper discusses a case study of contract cheating that was identified in a business simulation operating in a capstone unit at a large Australian university. The problem is outlined, the theory-based intervention is explained, and the impact on the contract cheating problem is quantified. Discussion and evaluation: Building on a platform provided by criminological theory and crime prevention practice, the Unit Coordinator systematically adjusted a large number of assessment elements to ensure contract cheating was less likely. Importantly, this intervention was effective but also did not disadvantage students who were not engaging in contract cheating. Conclusions: Overall, this paper connects criminological theory and crime/problem prevention practice with academic misconduct issues with the intent of demonstrating there is potential to minimise the opportunity for contract cheating by altering the opportunity structures for assessment items. Crucially, this can be done without impeding genuine student efforts and does not depend on apprehension and conviction. 2017 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/65719 10.1007/s40979-017-0018-1 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ University of South Australia unknown |
| spellingShingle | Baird, Michael Clare, J. Removing the opportunity for contract cheating in business capstones: a crime prevention case study |
| title | Removing the opportunity for contract cheating in business capstones: a crime prevention case study |
| title_full | Removing the opportunity for contract cheating in business capstones: a crime prevention case study |
| title_fullStr | Removing the opportunity for contract cheating in business capstones: a crime prevention case study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Removing the opportunity for contract cheating in business capstones: a crime prevention case study |
| title_short | Removing the opportunity for contract cheating in business capstones: a crime prevention case study |
| title_sort | removing the opportunity for contract cheating in business capstones: a crime prevention case study |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/65719 |