Contract cheating: what it is, why it matters, and what to do next

An independent primer by Dr Thomas Lancaster, academic integrity researcher, and originator of the term contract cheating.

TL;DR

Contract cheating occurs when a student outsources, or attempts to outsource, their assessed work to a third party. Contract cheating often involves payment to an essay mill or a ghostwriter, but contract cheating services can be provided for free by friends and family members.

What it is - and what it isn’t

What it is

  • Outsourcing assessment tasks to a third party, whether paid or unpaid, and submitting the result as one’s own work.
  • Behaviours across a wide spectrum: using bespoke ghostwriters, hiring exam impersonators, paying copyeditors to rewrite work, using tutors who replace learning.
  • Often commercialised and marketed to students as 'help' or 'support'.

What it isn’t

  • Permitted collaboration under rules set out within a module.
  • Seeking legitimate support from approved university services.
  • Using AI and other tools to learn more effectively, not to complete assessed work.

Timeline highlights

Pre-2006 Services existed to supply pre-written or custom written essays to students, often advertising in newspapers, or known through word-of-mouth. Services slowly moved onto the Internet.

2006 - Term 'contract cheating' introduced into academic use by Robert Clarke and Thomas Lancaster, identification of cheating beyond essays, with requests for computing assessments and writing software.

2010s - Increased ease of availability of contract cheating services, internationalisation offering students potentially cheaper deals, first sector responses put into place.

2020s - Rapid shifts in assessment types with remote assessments, GenAI changing writing and assessment methods, sector continues to respond.

Frequently asked questions

How does contract cheating differ from plagiarism?

Plagiarism is the use of others’ words, ideas, or work without proper acknowledgement. Contract cheating involves outsourcing the creation of original work for submission. The result may be plagiarism-free yet still unethical.

What are practical steps to reduce risk?

These are situational, but ideas to explore include:

  • Use staged, process-evidenced assessment with authentic tasks.
  • Align in-class activities with submissions and include reflective elements.
  • Clarify boundaries around collaboration and tool use.

How to cite this page

Recommended citation (APA):

Lancaster, T. (2025). ContractCheating.com: what it is, why it matters, and what to do next. https://contractcheating.com/

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