academia-research.com - advice on advancing to a premium writer and question about fines

Only joking.

I just started working for academia-research this week and thought I would start a thread so everyone can make fun of me and tell me how I'm going to get ripped off.

Don't worry though, I was awoken from my sleep early this morning with the sound of an email in my inbox notifying me of my first fine. Didn't include a works cited and got charged $4.50 on a $40 assignment, not unfair.

The real reason I'm posting is I'm curious if anyone has any advice for someone starting in the field. I'm well aware that almost every writer on this board is jaded by the industry so I'm sure my greenness is showing, but I'm here for the same reason I joined academia-research: to learn.

Any advice or encouragement you can offer is greatly appreciated.

And any advice on advancing to a premium writer is also appreciated. I'd like to be a premium writer by the end of the summer, is this feasible/possible?

Also, what are some of the biggest reasons people get fined on academia-research? Is there anything I need to be checking off before I send in an assignment to make sure I'm avoiding fines?

Thank you so much for your help guys, I really do appreciate it.

Your joke is so hilarious. Pheelyks can you help HillSet?

Just so people dont think I post unfunny jokes on the forum...the original title of the thread was "NEED NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAK PLEASE HELP". I understand having to change it, though. Glad you liked it MeoKhan.

hillset
I am really sorry to have dared to reply to a post which was meant only for the native speakers. I really appreciate this however, can you tell me what this original (but deleted title) **NEED NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAK PLEASE HELP mean? My English is so poor :-(

MeoKhan, would you rather have an American or a Pakistani write an essay for you in your native language?

My threads have already addressed this issue. You can go through them if you'd like. You'll also find some interesting arguments from other writers.

However, you didn't answer my question: I am still wondering what the phrase in the bold type-face in my second-last post (originally posted by you in your 2nd-last post) mean?

No, they haven't. According to your logic, a preference for a native Pakistani writer for writing a paper in a Pakistani university would be racist/elitist, but you have never explicitly addressed this issue.

Hi Hillset,

I too have only been in the business a couple of months. I seem to be doing ok and I love writing essays. I just treat it as I would a college assignment, only instead of grades I get money. Reading and answering the question is the key - a great easy is worthless if it does not address or focus on the key issues.

While I do not consider myself a "professional writer", I am confident in my ability to produce high-quality coursework at the undergraduate and master's level. If you can get good grades in undergraduate classes then you should be able to produce what most clients are looking for, so just enjoy it.

If I received unfair fines I would certainly contest them, and discontinue writing for the company if they were not resolved.

Good. You've got some punctuation and case agreement issues to work on.

Pheelyks,

If you were criticising something that I considered polished your criticism would have some meaning. As it is I type and I submit, and I really cannot be assed beyond that because there is no one here I am trying to impress.

I write as well as any professor in my field. That is not saying much, but it does mean that I am qualified to write essays that the people grading them consider good.

My point is you do not need to be a professional writer to write at the undergraduate level!

Exactly. SO glad you saw this thread Felix, I was really hoping you would. I honestly wanted to just message you my question but I didn't want to be a complete noob bugging you. I've been trolling the board for a while and it seems like youre one of the precious few sane people remaining here (along with a few others if you're reading this too). If you have any advice or help for me, I'd really appreciate it.

MeoKahn, please work on your verb tense. In your previous two posts, you've asked me what the phrase "mean". You "mean" to say "means". Don't worry though, I've included a link to some verb tense exercises you might want to practice to get better at your second language.

englishpage.com/verbpage/exercises/exercise1.htm

To finally answer your question, I was implying that people working for essay writing services get assignment requests like that title all the time. Maybe you don't notice because its how you speak and write. Work on that exercise I gave you and hopefully you'll understand soon.

academia-research.com is going to rob you blind... and judging by your attitude towards people struggling with a second language, it's going to be sooner than later.

It's just a typo and you know it. Glad you at least pointed that out.


You need to learn proper punctuation before you can thrill the world with your writing skills.



Oh, really? I see you've received such requests because you're working for Academia. Hmm, good one. I imply you'd produce a similar piece of writing for them.

You know this because....?


oy.....


If you charge people money for your writing, you are by definition a professional writer. As such, you ought to hold yourself to a higher standard.


That's not an implication.

Pheelyks,

I know this because in my day job as a research scientist I collaborate on and help write peer-reviewed publications and grant applications (professors in research universities are researchers first, teachers second). As a TA in the US I also graded undergraduate papers.

Some are better than others, but even EFL scientists are not that great at writing (even those that teach). However, because such pieces are collaborative, and because proof-readers are employed by journals, the finished piece, depending on the journal, is usually grammatically correct and typo free. Of course an academic essay should be grammatically correct and typo free, however, the structure and content are what really matters.

FYI I do hold myself to higher standards when I am being paid.

That doesn't explain how you've managed to successfully assess the writing abilities of every single professor working in your field. Don't make stupid claims and you won't have to waste so much of your time trying (and failing) to explain them.


Must.....resist.....yo' mamma joke......

the standards for helping people cheat on their homework are ridiculously low-- hence the proliferation and continued existence of sites like academia-research.com, who hires anyone and everyone. alpha is also correct about a lot of peer reviewed scientific studies being written by scientists, rather than writers.

pheelyks, of course, can't admit that anyone has a point but himself. it's sad, because he's a failed screenwriter who helps kids cheat on their homework for a living... not really a position of much credence or authority irl.

Where'd you get that idea?


The standards for cheating customers seeking academic assistance are extremely low, hence the.... yadda yadda yadda


Plenty of other people have points. Many of their points are wrong, or make incorrect assumptions. Alpha's "point" that he writes "as well as any professor in his field" is almost certainly unfounded, if not incorrect. That was my point. Do you disagree?

I believe that alpha can probably write passable copy for this industry, and that one shouldn't put professors on a pedestal just because of their job titles. and more importantly, I agree that it's ridiculous to point out prescriptive grammar errors on message board posts.

That has nothing to do with his claim as quoted above.


Nor does this.


You need to look up "prescriptive grammar" before you start using it in discussion.

prescriptive, as opposed to descriptive. is this ringing a bell, anyone?

academia-research.com doesn't cheat its customers... what it does is (usually) give them ****** copy, which is the status quo. with companies like this, the real shaft is reserved for the writers. I don't think half of the customers even read the research before they hand it in (or cite it in their bibliography, right? haha). the same credo works for so-called legit companies (a huge misnomer, considering the context). there are no standards of quality in this industry, because there is no accountability. writers are not held to anything but arbitrary and basic rules re: their product, and are driven into a quantity over quality equation, if they want to make any real money. calling yourself a professional writer under these circumstances is a dubious claim, at best.

anyway, pheelyks, it's okay; maybe being an internet snoot will fill the void... good luck.

I know what it means, but given that the issues of alpha's that I highlighted have nothing to do with the prescriptive/descriptive debate, you clearly need a refresher.


Delivering a product of lower quality than advertised, written by individuals without the qualifications promised, is cheating the customer.

Yello!

I am a 'general' writer at academia-research.
Just wanted congrats from everyone cos last month I paid $82 fine and this month its $96.
I'm improving, right? :P

I wanted to ask, is premium writer status a hoax or is it real?

Thanks

You're a writer? Wow.

Han?
Umm...its very to have the title of writer. Just choose the option in your profile.
Really!
I didn't think people would drop jaws at it!

There is no way of getting around the fining policy of the company. It is something that they have turned into an art form. I don't think an academic outsourcing company can beat Academic Research when it comes to the creativity of the accounting department in terms of figuring out ways and means to fine and penalize the writers. They do it with such precision that the writer has no recourse except to accept the fine and hope that the company takes mercy on the poor writer during the next pay cycle. I endured that for 7 years and I can tell you, it doesn't change even if you become a premium writer. When I left the company, I was a Premium Writer - 1st Class. For all it was worth, the title seemed to mean more severe and highly priced penalties for made up accusations related to paper quality, regardless of client satisfaction. I am telling you, don't dream of advancing in rank as a writer at that company. It won't pay off for you. As a rank and file writer, you will be losing less to penalties than you would as a premium writer.

There are two methods by which an academic writer can find himself climbing the ranks within an academic outsourcing company. The first method is by client rewards points and the other, is by achieving a work total quota (either through earned amount or number of orders). Both are simultaneously implemented in most writing companies. However, it is rewards points that often results in the writer being promoted at a faster rate.

The rewards points system indicates that the client is satisfied with the work provided by the writer in terms of grade achievements. If a writer consistently delivers on grade expectations, the clients tend to keep coming back to the same writer and leaving positive feedback. These are added up at the end of every months and, whenever the writer reaches the required rewards points, an automatic promotion is triggered. This is not something that considers QAD assessments. Most of the time, these are AI triggered. The writers who easily get promoted using this method are usually ENL writers.

For the writers who do not often produce high quality jobs, but are consistent in their work for the company, the human factor kicks in. Writer earning reports and client rewards are both considered, with the earning reports being given careful consideration. If the earnings of a writer eventually reach a certain sum, then the promotion is given to the writer by the company. This is more difficult to achieve for most third world writers so it could be a matter of years before he can see his first promotion. In which case he will have quit the company after his first year without a promotion.

I feel as though this is the sad reality of academic writing that is often overlooked by others. Because some writers become fully reliant on a single company, hoping that they would somehow help them develop their careers, they would often be chained into believing that they can offset the penalties by working harder in the next period. It can only take so much until a writer begins to fully realize that their academic writing career path isn't going anywhere because they keep getting bombarded with relentless amount of people trying to find ways to strip them off their hard-earned money. Still, for what it is worth, advancing as a premium writer can at least give a writer an idea of his capacity in the field (that it is, in fact, possible to be more straightforward with the demands).

There are no real reasons that one can point to when it comes to the fining of writers at these Ukrainian companies. It all boils down to how much the "company" wants or needs to earn at the end of the month. Maintaining the site, promoting it, and pretending to pay the writers can really add up for these cheaters. That's why they fine the workers across the board. Nobody is spared. Not even their premium writers. It's all about paying themselves first based upon how much money they earn during the month and what they think would be the proper, not fair, take of the profits would be for them.