Zero-tolerance approach toward misconduct puts dissertations under scrutiny

The Ministry of Education has again urged universities to strengthen their management of dissertations and intensify investigation and punishment of academic misconduct, according to a notice posted on its website last month.

The ministry reiterated its zero-tolerance approach toward academic misconduct, adding that every step in paper-writing, including the assessment and review of dissertations, and dissertation defense, should be scrutinized.

In dissertation defense, a student is required to present his or her dissertation to an academic committee, and answer questions asked by committee members. If they successfully defend their dissertation, they will get their degree.

Chen Yanan, a senior student at Peking University, said liberal arts students in her school are required to hand in term papers in their junior year under the guidance of their supervisors as a warm-up before writing their graduation paper.

"The term paper must conform strictly to the academic requirements and norms for a dissertation," she said.

"Thanks to such regular academic training, we learn how to work on our graduation papers in a proper way."

While most senior students are writing their graduation papers this time each year, some choose ghostwriting services found online.

An investigative report published by Beijing Evening News on March 1 said a 1,000-word essay was priced from 100 to 150 yuan ($15 to $22), while publishing a 3,000-word article in a core journal cost 50,000 yuan.

A report by the China Science Daily published in 2009 said the market for ghostwriting services was bigger than 1 billion yuan.

A survey conducted by the China University Media Union in 2015 found that about 31 percent of 318 undergraduates had considered paying for ghostwriting services.

To combat academic misconduct, in 2012, the Ministry of Education issued Measures for the Treatment of False Behaviors in Dissertation, stipulating that applications for degrees can be refused and degrees themselves revoked for such behavior.

Li Shuyue, a student majoring in German at Shanghai International Studies University, said all the senior students in her school must participate in dissertation defense this year, and some dissertations will even be submitted for anonymous review.

But in past years, only a small number had gone through that process.

Tang Xiaofan contributed to this story.