When students feel overwhelmed by their coursework and responsibilities, the temptation to have someone else write your essay can feel like an easy solution. While outsourcing essay writing may seem attractive in the short-term, it is ultimately unethical and does more harm than good. Instead of cheating, students should focus on developing strong time management skills and using campus resources that can help them succeed through their own efforts.
There are several reasons why having another person write your essay is a practice that should be avoided. For one, outsourcing academic work is a clear violation of your university’s code of conduct and considered cheating or plagiarism. If discovered, the consequences can range from failing the assignment, failing the course, suspension, or even expulsion. These penalties severely damage your academic record and integrity. Moreover, skills and knowledge not your own cannot earn you a legitimate diploma. Receiving a degree based on someone else’s work denies you the benefits of an authentic learning experience.
Compounding the ethics issue is that outsourced essays often contain plagiarized content which is easy for professors to identify through online screening tools. Even if written specifically for the assignment, ghostwritten essays lack your unique voice, perspective and understanding of the course material. Professors can easily discern when a paper does not match the student’s typical writing style or ability. They are trained to spot inconsistencies that indicate someone other than the student submitted the work. Getting caught with plagiarized or ghostwritten content negates the time an essay service invested and results in the same penalties as outright cheating.
Relying on others to do your academic work also does you a disservice by depriving you of valuable opportunities to learn important life skills. The research, writing and revision process fosters time management, problem-solving, and attention to detail – abilities in high demand by employers. Procrastinating assignments or outsourcing the work prevents you from strengthening these transferable skills that lead to success after graduation. No career will accept work not your own or tolerate excuses about needing someone else to do projects on time. The college experience is meant to challenge and prepare you to handle responsibilities independently in adulthood.
While essay writing services try to offer a shortcut, their work is usually of questionable quality anyway. Many outsourced essays are poorly written by amateur writers without expertise in specific subjects. They consist of superficial research and lack sophisticated analysis. Even a mediocre original essay written by the student stands a far better chance of earning a decent grade from professors than badly crafted plagiarized or ghostwritten content. Relying on third parties to write papers also relies too much on luck that their rushed or low-quality work will not be detected. The risks always outweigh any potential gains from circumventing academic honesty expectations.
Students who find themselves drowning in assignments should first examine their time management habits realistically. Many college students drastically underestimate how long projects will take and procrastinate until facing urgent deadlines. Effective scheduling and starting assignments early allows tasks to be completed thoughtfully without last minute panic or temptation to cheat. It is also important not to take on an excessively difficult course load each term but to pace yourself. Some courses may need to be put off for another semester to reduce stress.
Campus learning resource centers offer services like free tutoring, writing assistance, and review sessions that can help with specific subjects and assignments. These experienced professionals are trained to provide guidance, not finished work. Working with tutors helps students gain confidence in their abilities rather than unlearned dependence on others. Most universities also allow reasonable extensions on deadlines with documentation of emergencies or extenuating circumstances from health professionals. Speaking to professors respectfully about difficulties can make them more understanding of occasional setbacks outside of a student’s control.
While the lure of an instant paper to submit may be tempting in moments of desperation, having someone else write your essay and calling it your own work ultimately undermines your education and integrity. Succeeding through your authentic efforts, even when challenging, builds skills and perseverance that last far beyond any one assignment or course. Even in moments of stress or uncertainty, staying true to principles of academic honesty leaves students better prepared for life after graduation than any essay a ghostwriter could fabricate. Committing fully to your studies and using campus supports available are almost always preferable to risking plagiarism charges and academic sanctions through illegitimate shortcuts.
Contracting third parties to complete coursework denies students the learning benefits of independent scholarship. It also violates university codes of conduct with serious potential repercussions. Instead of outsourcing, taking ownership of time management and using on-campus academic assistance resources empowers authentic achievement through a student’s own efforts. While the desire for a quick solution to overwhelming work is understandable, staying true to principles of honesty and striving to improve self-sufficiency will serve students much better in their education and beyond. With discipline and perseverance, students can overcome challenges through developing valuable lifelong skills rather than circumventing standards that uphold the credibility of academic degrees.
Andrew Stroud