# Sneaky requests for homework (on a thesis)



## .   1

Hello forer@s
Perhaps I am preaching to the converted but I wish to draw to your attention a particularly unpleasant PM I received today, New Year's Eve.

The initial request was to proof read a 4 page essay and that the request for proof reading was perfectly acceptable with the lecturer to the point that the lecturer had actually suggest that the students each ensure that they have a native English speaker proof read their essay.

The 4 page essay turned into an 8 page thesis criticising, inter alia, Australia's Refugee Policy. I was told to take my time and that a response was required within 24 hours.

I believe that I have been mislead on a number of levels and wish to warn others who may be approached.
I do not believe that it is correct for any thesis to be proof read.
I do not believe that any lecturer would suggest that the potential thesis be proof read.
Logic dictates that if the proof reading does not artificially inflate the mark given to the thesis then there is no point in having the thesis proof read.
I am deeply irritated by this.
The subject matter was hidden from me during the reqest even though the explination contained the excuse that I had been chosen because I was an Australian and would therefore be more knowledgable about the Australian Refugee Policy then my New Year was diminished by reading a superficial, sound bite based criticism of aspects of my country.
As a final indignity this person was and will remain a total stranger to me and I do not even remember seeing the name before.
Some people are misusing this forum and sometimes that is a real pain in the neck for those of us who just want to muck around with words.
Sorry for the rant.

Robert


----------



## cuchuflete

Thank you for the rant, Robert.  I too received a similar request, as did some other good colleagues among the English Only foreros.

The PM requests came from more than a single forero name, but appear to be part of the same scam.  

If anyone else receives such a PM request, please forward a copy to a moderator.  These requests appear harmless, but are contrary to the collaborative spirit of the forums, and certainly raise ethical questions.  

Regards,
cuchuflete


PS- The English Only forum mods are

GenJen54
Kelly B
Panjandrum
timpeac
Cuchuflete


----------



## Shauneyzboyz

In my experiences, a thesis is typically a longer work which is accompanied by a first and maybe second reader.  Aside from being a person to explore your thesis topic with, a reader usually serves to proofread.


----------



## cuchuflete

Shauneyzboyz said:


> In my experiences, a thesis is typically a longer work which is accompanied by a first and maybe second reader.  Aside from being a person to explore your thesis topic with, a reader usually serves to proofread.



I don't see what that has to do with a falsified PM asking for grammar checking at first, and then looking for still further editorial work.


----------



## Shauneyzboyz

cuchuflete said:


> I don't see what that has to do with a falsified PM asking for grammar checking at first, and then looking for still further editorial work.



Meaning that anyone who is writing a thesis probably already has someone who will be proofreading it, so for someone to request another proofread from a random native English speaker would scream false faux and falso.


----------



## cuchuflete

Thanks for the clarification.  This is no thesis. It's an essay described as "5 pages" and which turns out to be a little longer.
It does reek of falsehood, in more ways than one.


----------



## danielfranco

I feel left out... I've never been approached by anyone with those kinds of scams.
Oh, sure, the ones about "send me money and I'll be your friend" reach me all the time...
Anyway, I seriously recommend to forward those kinds of PM's immediately (if not sooner) to the mod team. This has always proven very helpful to me in the past. And also drop that user's name right away into your "Ignore List" and be rid of him for all eternity.
Happy New Year, y'all.


----------



## Bienvenidos

I've received plenty of these requests.....it really irks me because the entire POINT of language-learning is for the learner to be able to garner skills by him/herself......it's ridiculous that people even try to get away with "proof-reading" (which is code for "revising") their homeworks. I got a ten page essay once. The PM was from an extremely nice forero who was trying to learn English; unfortunately, I had to tell him that the only way to learn a language is by getting onto the hockey rink with no safety gear. It takes one to learn; it takes two to cheat. I always try to look at it like this: I will spend thirty minutes "finessing" this paper....and someone else will get the credit. No thanks. 

Sorry to hear this happened to you. But now we all know to avoid these kinds of PMs in the future.


----------



## panjandrum

I'm a late arrival on this thread, as on many others just now.

I'll speak in generalities.

I have received such requests several times.

I judge them on the basis of what I know of the sender and the form of the request.

I won't help someone polish work that is part of an academic assessment process. That, it seems to me, is dishonest. If their course requires proofreading by an external person, that should be arranged by the institution or agreed by the student long before the due date.

Any request for short-notice proofreading is bound to be suspect. I would ignore such requests.

I also feel that to use the goodwill of the forum like this is abuse - but that is only my opinion. I find it particularly offensive when many members are approached with the same request. Still, it is entirely up to you - but if anyone who gets requests like this has any doubt, I suggest that you forward the request to any of the moderators.


----------

