Many students face writing college papers with a great deal of anxiety. the level of academic sophistication that is expected of a young scholar in the Academy is considerable; the work required to deserve the appelation "higher education" and "educated person" is enormous, the diligence and rigor is intimidating. So, the temptation to plagiarize creeps into the panicked brain of the insecure student. The internet offers many such students the encouragment they need to slip over that line, from hopeful young student to unethical half-stepper, cynical poseur, illegitimate faker. .
The young faker may succeed in passing off a web essay as his/her own once, or even a few times. but, like a junky, the habit becomes overpowering, and eventually people notice that your writing isn't your old self, doesn't match your in-class personality, or even your own language patterns. Before the student knows it, s/he is caught, busted, pulled aside after class or called to the office. The dread is overpowering; is this the time i'm caught? Will they throw me out of college? Will I be stuck working at a fast food restaurant for the rest of my life? I'll be shamed before eveyone. It's the end the student's dreams, of the parents' hopes and pride. How ironic when the young star studnet was supposed to go so far, but fell so fast, they'll all say. Wasn't s/he always so judgemental and dismissive of the plight of people who had it harder than they? Work hard to succeed, s/he always said. Losers get what they deserve. Oh, the bitter taste of eating yoru own words. .
Does the blame lie with the student, or the web pages that facilitate and encourage this plunge? .