In Australia, students outsource homework at low costs

At as cheap as 2 dollars, industrious high school and university students in Australia have found out ways to outsource homework projects.An increasing number of websites are offering to write essays, term papers or dissertation writing services, the Sunday Herald said in a report.

The websites offer "fixed-price" services or allow students to put work out to tender, promising to tailor their work to display different levels of expertise.Matt Barrie, founder of a website designed to put small businesses in touch with affordable labour in emerging economies, has found homework assignments are often put through his site, the paper said.

"We get them all the time and, as a lecturer, I really don't approve, but kids will be kids - they will always find a way to cheat," he said.

And some young people in countries like India and Pakistan, among others, are finding it a lucrative option to earn respectable pocket money.A 23-year-old graduate in Pakistan contacted by the newspaper said through such means he was working for students from Australia, the US and the UK.

"It is my part-time job, I get work from all over the world including Australia, US and the UK. I have done many jobs for Australian students," said Mohammed Ali Khan who is churning out essays and papers for high school and university students charging USD 2 per 100 words.Academics say it is a worrying trend.

"The trend towards custom-produced work at such low costs, particularly at university level where lecturers may not know their students as well as in high school, is extremely worrying because it is that much harder to spot," Mary Bluett, Victorian branch president of Australian Education Union, was quoted as saying.

Education Minister Bronwyn Pike said: "Students that submit plagiarised or purchased work risk being caught and facing severe consequences"."While our universities rigorously check and detect plagiarised work, students must make the right decision," she said