Shadow Scholars and the Rise of the Dissertation Service Industry: Can We Maintain Academic Integrity?

Notable interest was generated when Dave Tomar’s book, <em>The Shadow Scholar: How I Made a Living Helping College Kids Cheat</em>, was first published. While ghostwriters and paper mills have long been part of the academic landscape, a far more ominous enterprise has appeared that targe...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Jeffry L. White
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Athabasca University Press 2016-04-01
Series:Journal of Research Practice
Subjects:
Online Access:http://jrp.icaap.org/index.php/jrp/article/view/536
Description
Summary:Notable interest was generated when Dave Tomar’s book, <em>The Shadow Scholar: How I Made a Living Helping College Kids Cheat</em>, was first published. While ghostwriters and paper mills have long been part of the academic landscape, a far more ominous enterprise has appeared that targets master’s and doctoral students seeking assistance with their theses and dissertations. This essay proffers a number of questions for consideration about the services these consulting companies are marketing on the Internet to students across the globe. The article illuminates a rising phenomenon and the potential effects on scholarship, faculty, and universities. It will be of interest to anyone interested in the implications for research education.
ISSN:1712-851X