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I certainly consider that what’s on offer by the
service Angela flagged up to be plagiarism, as would our UoP regulations on
academic offences, since they intervene with many actual corrections rather
than just highlighting errors in true proofreading style. So yes, I think the
best thing (all?) we can do is make students aware of regulations and empower
and equip them to make ethical choices.
Eloļse
Eloļse Sentito 
Learning Development
Tel. (01752 5)87752
(Part-time: regular days= Tuesdays
and Wednesdays)
Room 103, 21 Portland
Villas, Drake Circus
University of Plymouth www.plymouth.ac.uk/learn
-----Original Message-----
From: learning development in higher education network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Pauline Ridley
Sent: 26 January 2010 15:25
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Proofreading website
I'm wary of most of these sites - even when they appear
to be legitimate and disavow doing anything to encourage academic misconduct,
the mere fact that any help they give is not explicit to academic tutors and
assessors is a major cause for concern.
Just came across another one, details of which were
actually posted inside our VLE by a member of admin staff (in good faith I'm
sure, though I'll be asking them to remove it immediately). This one says:
"Writing Advice for Students
We specialise in proofreading all types of writing for
international students. We correct
grammar, spelling, punctuation, and word order. We do not change any content or
make the writing sound more 'intellectual' or 'scholarly'. We maintain your
voice. If we did not do this, it would no longer be your writing.
Be confident and use our proofreading service!
Contact us through our website: www.wa4s.co.uk
or simply email:
[log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask]
Special hourly student rates, and discounts for
introducing your friends."
The website looks OK, with advice on writing and links to
some sound resources, but in the
"Contact us" section, they say
"Use this Contact Us form to make your enquiry. We will not divulge your personal information
to any person or organisation outside wa4s.
In your enquiry you should let us know whether you need
writing advice, proofreading or both.
You should also tell us what degree you are studying, how many words you
have to write, and when your hand-in date is.
We will then reply with an estimate of cost and tell you how to submit
your paper. We look forward to hearing from you!"
Does anybody know anything about this organisation?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pauline Ridley
Vice-Chair, Association for Learning Development in
Higher Education (ALDinHE)
Visual Practices Co-ordinator, LearnHigher CETL
Centre for Learning and Teaching
Room 113, Mayfield House, Falmer Campus, University
of Brighton Brighton BN1 9PH
Telephone 01273-643406 Email [log in to unmask]
CLT website: http://staffcentral.brighton.ac.uk/clt
Visual Practices
http://staffcentral.brighton.ac.uk/learnhigher
ALDinHE http://www.aldinhe.ac.uk
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----Original Message-----
From: learning development in higher education network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Angela McQuade
Sent: 26 January 2010 14:22
Subject: Proofreading website
Dear all,
I would like to draw your attention to a website,
'Proofread my Essay', that
was created in November 09. It is designed to 'help' students get the
mark
they 'deserve' by proofreading and correcting their
essays for the fee of £8
per thousand words.
It is being promoted on Facebook, with students invited
to become 'fans'.
The creator of the site is using Facebook to tell
students when he will be visiting various universities to
promote his
service. The 140
(so far) 'fans' on the Facebook site are from various of
universities although a sizeable number are from
Nottingham Trent.
According to the site there was a promotion there on 25th
January.
In their FAQ section they state: "Our service
focuses on making your work
attractively legible to the marker, to make them feel
that your work is well
written and that you have spent the time reading over and
improving it. This
should ultimately help you achieve the grade you deserve,
but unfortunately
we cannot guarantee specific grades, as this would place
us in direct
conflict with your University's Code of Conduct."
The Learning Development Service at Queen's have brought
it to the attention
of Academic Affairs.
Just wondering what others think of the service this site
offers and the
ease with which students can get someone else to finish
their work and pass
it off as entirely their own.
http://www.proofreadmyessay.co.uk/