Decoding the Mystifying Labyrinth of Contract Cheating in Graduate Thesis Writing: Exploring the Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivational Factors

This reflexive narrative draws on the authors' experiences in teaching and supervising postgraduates' thesis writing. Using an auto-ethnographic qualitative narrative research approach, theories of planned behaviour and social learning, and in-depth interviews and conversations with students, the study explores the motivations behind students’ cheating behaviours in thesis writing, focusing on contract cheating. The study demonstrates that intrinsic and extrinsic motivators are key predictors of students’ contract cheating behaviours. It also discussed adherence to academic integrity policy, interventions, technologies, educational tools, and andragogical approaches to curb contract cheating. It provides a contextual understanding of the issue within Ghana's tertiary education system, which has been under-researched. Findings reveal that some graduates are ill-equipped to cope with the pressures of postgraduate studies, making them inclined to unethicality in their thesis work to secure undeserved credits.  The study advocates for a developmental rather than a punitive approach in addressing contract cheating. It concludes that a combination of institutional policies, a deeper understanding of students' motivations to cheat, designing appropriate andragogical approaches and responsive evidence-based interventions to “combat’ contract cheating.