Michelle Vu's "Free Online Paper Mills" describes and compares two essay writing websites that offers students for a fee, the convenience of a paper without the time and effort of composing. Vu explains in detail how each site is structured, from eCheat’s minimalistic approach “graphics are not flashy or particularly eye-catching” (136), to Custom Writing’s enticing design “website has a clean, sleek layout” (137). She further describes the tactic each site uses to convince wary writers that there is a limited risk via their claims of being plagiarism exempt. These include declarations ranging from customer quotes of satisfaction to the emphasis that it is not cheating, but a form of “collaboration” (137). However, these same sites stress to potential clients that they should be used as references or cited works thereby creating a conflict to their website name, as well as to their purpose. Vu’s conclusion not only displays disdain for these types of sites, she vehemently cautions students by exposing their faults and inconsistencies.
Being guilty of falling within the 90% writing procrastination population, I can understand the enticement of having a paper written for you. All too many times I have found myself asking a fellow classmate if they would like the joy of writing my paper. The stress, time, research, and energy it takes to write a composed paper can be overwhelming for some. Not to mention the pressure to present an “A” worthy essay can lead some to take drastic measures to ensure their GPA stays intact or excels. However, one must weigh the pros and the enormity of the cons in venturing down this road. Plagiarism is not tolerated and expulsion is an all too real possibility for anyone who is caught. One must consider, is the fee for a free ride really worth the price of losing an education?
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