The Shadow Scholar

Some organizational strategies that I have developed from previous classes and research projects is the ability to separate larger sections into smaller more specific categories allowing me to place information into those smaller categories for easier access later on. Other organization skills that I have learned is that of using color coding to highlight things to keep them in, again, those smaller more specific areas.

The Shadow Scholar. This is an extremely interesting article about academic cheating. The idea that someone sits around doing other people's work for them on such a large scale is something I had never thought about. I have heard of people doing small work for one another, say for a good friend, but the idea of cheating on such a large scale as this is mind blowing. The problem in this article is that people are not doing their own work on things such as Ph.D's and the sort. It is scary to think that people can be 'qualified' for something through the work of another person.


The Shadow Scholar defends his occupation by reasoning that the reason students cheat is not because of his services but that the school has not clamped down or helped to fulfill the needs of some students who cannot write to the level required. I believe that when people do use these services it is damaging the state of education however it does bring out the idea that many students have, "the only important thing is the grade." While I agree that grades are important they are not so important that skipping the info and having another individual do the work for you is alright. It is sad that this is what people would do instead of doing the work and learning themselves. So I do not believe it is his fault necessarily but I do think that because of him and his coworkers this cycle is perpetuated and a stop is not being put to it which does hurt the state of education.

Have a great day