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Student web cheats caught out by 'pyjama inspiration'
Last updated at 18:52pm on 07.03.07
One in 20 students use the internet when writing their personal statements for Ucas
Students who copied university application forms from the internet have been caught out after hundreds used the identical phrase "burning a hole in my pyjamas".
Stock phrases such as "a fascination for how the human body works" are being routinely plagiarised by students desperate to get places.
UCAS claims that thousands of sixth-formers are cheating in their applications and using phrases from on-line examples in their personal statements.
A study by CFL Software Development, authors of CopyCatch detection programmes, showed that some 800 medical students who applied to Oxbridge last year had copied phrases from three example applications.
A total of 370 applications said they had chosen to study the course because of "a fascination for how the human body works" while 234 pupils discussed being inspired after "burning a hole in my pyjamas at the age eight".
A further 175 students said they were inspired to do medicine by "an elderly or infirm grandfather".
But the plagiarised phrases are not just a problem for Oxbridge. UCAS said it has seen a rise in fraudulent applications in recent years for all UK universities, with one in 20 candidates copying material from websites into their personal statements.
The increase in plagiarism from websites - some of which are paid for - is blamed on the stiff competition for places.
Despite the introduction of top-up tuition fees of £3,000, record numbers are now applying for university, many with top A-level grades.
Plagiarised applications - which are completed on-line - have also increased from abroad, particularly Nigeria, where individuals pose as prospective students to get into the UK.
But once in Britain, many of these people disappear and never enrol on their courses.
Last year, the number of applications cancelled by UCAS after the were found to be fraudulent rose by more than a quarter to 1,515.
It is thought the number of plagiarised applications increased as the deadline for completing the forms - October 15 - drew closer.
Borrowed material was most likely to appear at the end of the personal statement or where an applicant describes why they want to study a subject.
UCAS, who commissioned the CopyCatch study, said it was doubling its team of investigators responsible for uncovering fraudulent applications.
Chief executive Anthony McClaran said: 'We take the integrity of applications very seriously.
"We commissioned this work to investigate the potential for screening applications for borrowed material in the future.
"As part of our ongoing commitment to maintaining integrity standards we will shortly be doubling the size of out Verification Unit which is responsible for identifying fraudulent applications."
Reader views (6)
I discovered I had a fascination for how the human body works after my elderly and infirm gradndfather burnt a hole in my pyjamas at the age of eight. It was a good thing he did as I am now a junior surgeon at the burns unit of a major teaching hospital in Surrey, where the ability to 'cut and paste' is a pre-requisite.
- John Bettes, London
Of course record numbers are applying. Hell, they practically give away A levels nowadays. Wouldn't you apply? And it's so easy to have your debt wiped; that's not even a deterrent any more. Oh how I wish I was 17!
- Jay, London
I agree with Lloyd from London about the co-joined sentence thingy!
- Don, Hull
I discovered I had a fascination for how the human body works after my elderly and infirm gradndfather burnt a hole in my pyjamas at the age of eight. It was a good thing he did as I am now the head plastic surgeon at the burns unit of a major teaching hospital in Surrey.
- Jk, London
In 2007, we see politicians of all persuasions using dubious methods to clamber a bit further up the very greasy pole. Is it any wonder the young are catching on?
- Steve R, London, UK
They have to copy things from websites, the standard of teaching is now so low (due to government changes), that most school leavers can hardly string together coherent sentences.
- Lloyd, London
