Students hand in bogus social research

In a given semester, a print shop in Chongqing's Fuling district will sell college students as many as 1,000 fabricated social research reports for 2 yuan ($0.32) each, according to the Chongqing Economic Times. Be it a report on an institution, enterprise or school with a descriptive, investigative or narrative format, each one is tailor-made for students hoping for an easy credit.

Cutting corners

While not all universities in China require that students produce social research reports in order to graduate, many make it mandatory.

Wu Tingting, a sophomore majoring in law at Shanghai-based Sanda University, explained that in many courses on Marxism or Socialism with Chinese characteristics, students are divided into groups and required to conduct social research.

"We just wandered through campus," Wu told the Global Times Wednesday. "Sometimes we also interviewed passersby or handed out questionnaires." To her, these outings were a waste of time. "I would rather attend extracurricular activities like mock-trial sessions."

Wu said it was easy to throw together a report without too much work, but that it was a challenge to get the official seals from each entity they were supposed to work with. Zheng Runlei, a high school student in Anhui Province, was equally dismayed at the social research requirement that she needed to fulfill for graduation. "We are required to go to a neighborhood committee to do research. But how do we have time for this?" Parents also complain about having to go out to "hunt" for one official seal.

Hitting the mark

With enough support and proper guidance, social research programs allow students to get out of the classroom and gain real experience. Renmin University of China recently launched a successful example with its program, Sending 1,000 Students to 100 Villages, initiated by Professor Zheng Hangsheng and his team.

According to the China Education Daily, the team produced a questionnaire and selected 100 villages nationwide. The program will collect data for five consecutive years and then analyze the findings to understand the actual conditions in rural areas. The students who have participated so far all had positive feedback, saying they learned to think professionally and became familiar with the challenges facing rural areas. They said the program was so enriching for them thanks to the school's support and help from locals.

Different voices

Xu Yaling, a recent graduate of Xiamen University, told the Global Times that university students are to blame for their own indolence. "Students just want to get off easy. It is not just a requisite but a great learning opportunity if you see it differently," she said, adding that she herself conducted several successful studies and that the experience was enlightening and thought-provoking.

Li Guangrong, a deputy researcher with Chongqing Academy of Social Sciences, commented that teachers should guide students and schools should provide a clear platform, adding that sufficient funding for social research is key.