Is EduBirdie Safe to Use? A Comprehensive Look Into the Essay Writing Assistance Service
EduBirdie is an online essay writing assistance service that allows students to order custom written essays and academic papers. Many question if using such a service is ethical or could lead to plagiarism and other issues. This article seeks to conduct an in-depth investigation into EduBirdie to determine if it can truly be considered a safe option for students.
How EduBirdie Works
EduBirdie connects students who need help with their assignments to freelance writers who can complete the work. Students provide details about the paper they need help with like the topic, word count, academic level and deadline. Freelance writers then bid on the order, with their bids indicating the price they will charge.
Students can view samples of work, ratings and success rates of the writers who bid before choosing to accept the bid. Once a bid is accepted, the writer gets to work on completing the paper. They have communication tools on the site to ask the student any clarification questions.
When the deadline arrives, the completed paper is submitted to the student. Students then have a period of time to request revisions if needed. Once satisfied, they pay via the site’s secured payment system and leave feedback and a writer rating. The paper then belongs to the student to submit as their own work.
Ethicality and Plagiarism Concerns
One of the biggest concerns around using EduBirdie is whether it’s considered cheating or unethical for students to submit papers completed by writers as their own work. While plagiarism is strictly prohibited, turning in someone else’s work as your own raises academic integrity issues.
EduBirdie argues this isn’t the case as long as students acknowledge any assistance received. They don’t advise claiming papers as completely original work, but presenting them as having received editing or proofreading help is allowed at many schools. It’s up to individual academic institutions to determine their own policies.
Still, there’s potential for plagiarism if quality control fails. Students rely on EduBirdie maintaining standards and properly vetting writers to ensure papers are written from scratch rather than copied from existing sources. While the site has anti-plagiarism measures, no system is 100% foolproof.
Quality of Work Concerns
Another key concern is whether papers produced through EduBirdie will meet expectations in terms of academic quality and adhere to assignment guidelines. While the site allows rating and reviewing writers, quality can vary dramatically between freelancers.
Students have no way to independently verify a writer’s qualifications or expertise in their subject area beforehand. Papers may be rudimentary regurgitations of information rather than high-quality analysis tailored to the student’s needs. There’s also potential misunderstandings could occur that damage the final paper.
Some criticize EduBirdie for enabling a “cut corners” approach to education rather than helping students properly learn. Over-reliance on the site for regular assignments rather than occasional assistance could undermine the learning process. Quality concerns raise questions over what a paper completed through the service is really worth.
Freelancer Vetting and Qualifications
To address quality and plagiarism issues, EduBirdie claims it thoroughly screens writers before allowing them onto the platform. All must complete an application proving their language skills and subject matter expertise.
Writers reportedly go through plagiarism detection software sample testing as well. Critics argue screening can only go so far and poorly qualified applicants may still slip through. There’s no way for students to independently verify freelancer credentials or skills claimed in profiles.
The site also lacks transparency around exactly how vetting is performed. No details are provided on minimum education levels, background checks or specific screening criteria. Freelancers could potentially misrepresent qualifications that aren’t thoroughly fact checked. This makes it hard for students to properly gauge writers’ true abilities.
Cost and Customer Support Quality
Pricing on EduBirdie varies significantly based on type/length of paper ordered, academic level, number of sources required and deadline timeframe. Some basic papers start around $10 per page while more complex orders with tight deadlines can exceed $100 per page.
While reasonable compared to some competitors, costs add up quickly at the higher end. Students must weigh the affordability against potential quality concerns. Customer support quality is another consideration, as issues could arise that require the site’s assistance.
Most student reviews note EduBirdie provides responsive phone, email and chat support. Complaints also circulate about subpar response times or support agents lacking expertise to properly address complex issues. Reliable, high-quality support remains vital if problems occur with orders.
Final Verdict – Is EduBirdie Ultimately Safe to Use?
In the end, there are credible arguments on both sides of whether EduBirdie can be considered a safe option. While the company claims robust quality control and supports academic integrity, numerous risks remain that are difficult to entirely mitigate:
Potential for plagiarism if quality oversight fails
Varying paper quality dependent on individual writers’ true abilities
Limited oversight of writers’ qualifications and vetting process transparency
Reliance on site for regular help could undermine learning
Support quality concerns if major issues arise
EduBirdie likely poses no greater inherent risks than similar services if used judiciously and guidelines followed:
Papers should have limited, cited assistance versus being passed off as fully original
Sample work and ratings can help identify reliable writers
Reasonable when workload is heavy but learning still the priority
Affordable option when an expert perspective or extra help is needed
Overall, EduBirdie appears reasonably safe to use on an occasional, supplemental basis. But regularly relying on the site in place of independent work carries ethical and quality control risks. As with any third-party assistance, students must exercise caution and think critically about potential implications.
Andrew Stroud