Normally, I find I agree with Mike, but I'm uncomfortable with the easy
assumption, here and in the thread about proofreading, that these are simple
black & white questions.  

When I write an important document--a module descriptor, some e-mails,
journal articles and so on--I try to get someone else to read it for tone,
content and, yes, language accuracy.  Is this collusion?  When a journal
article is accepted, do the anonymous reviewers become co-authors?

I spoke the other day with a friend who was going to have a mock viva with
his supervisor.  Is this collusion?

I work mostly with international students.  Although they may have good
subject knowledge they often have difficulty with language accuracy.  There
are broad rules for the choice of articles (a, an, the), for example, but
there are significant exceptions.  If a mother tongue like Chinese doesn't
have articles at all, it's extremely difficult to get them right.  Students
who can do that are far beyond IELTS 7.  Many of these students are
terrified of making errors in grammar and word choice.  If it's wrong for
them to use a proof reader, how do you, as a marker treat their papers?  Do
grammatical errors that don't impede your understanding result in lower
marks?  Does that mean that only linguistically exception students can earn
marks equivalent to home students?

I realise that EAP and study skills units don't have the time or resources
to proofread the papers of all the students who want their help, and so it
does make sense for these units to limit the help they offer.  But to say
that proofreading is cheating seems to set a standard for students that
isn't applied elsewhere.  Maybe that's fine, but I don't think simple or cut
and dried.

Erik Borg

-----Original Message-----
From: Plagiarism [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Mike Reddy
Sent: 08 March 2006 00:53
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Edit for hire question

> A vocational conundrum, of sorts: Would it be ethically appropriate 
> for me to market my services as a for-compensation editor of student 
> papers in sociology (in which I have a doctorate) and kindred 
> disciplines?

Simple answer: No.

Explanation of the simple answer: It's their assignment, not yours. The 
fact that you have to ask worries me.

Complex answer: NO!

Explanation of the complex answer: It's their learning opportunity, not 
yours. If they need support to learn how to write an essay, or how to 
structure an argument, or how to best present their research, etc. it 
is their lecturer's job, and possibly a study skills or drop in 
centre's job, for which they have already paid!

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