A
female
age
30-35,
anonymous
writes:i have recently found out that a close friend of mine has been going through my work with the intention of using my ideas to do well in another subject. I am in my final year of school so this is a big issue as it is considered my final work for this year. I am extremely angry and i don't know who to approach this situation. She only decided on this a few weeks AFTER i had told her about my idea. I want her to get into trouble for having the nerve to plaigarise my work but i'm afraid of whats going to happen to our friendship. please help Reply to this Question
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female
reader, Honeypie  +, writes (27 February 2009):
 I had one of my (at the time) best friends do that to me. I did not tell the professors, they approached me. I had NO idea she "stole" my ideas. I was pretty miffed, however as it turned out I had done the better research, the better analyzing, comparison, over all a better job I scored high and she scored low. From what the professors said she had claimed she knew nothing about my subject.. Though I KNEW she did I had been talking about it for more then a year before we even got started on it.
After that I stop talking to her, cut her out of my life. She told a common friend she didn't understand why I didn't want her around. I never bothered explaining. If she didn't understand what she did was wrong then nothing I could have said would have made her understand.
In the past 15 years she has tried to rekindle out friendship and I still ignore her, I never needed a "friend" like that.
I would go talk to a professor or if you have a counselor talk to him/her. If you don't want to use names then don't. And secondly you got to lock down on all your work so she can't access it.
A
female
reader, wonderingcat  +, writes (27 February 2009):
 Hmmm ... your friend has the fundamentals of being an industrial spy .. and she will probably succeed in the future in being one. LOL
Kidding aside, you need to start putting a password in your computer, and possibly even go further and use password even for your files (and make your folders "hidden" or "invisible" that only you can open. Also, lock your filing cabinet, if you have one. And buy a shredder too ... just kidding ... am getting carried away a bit here.
Yes, do talk to your professors now, tell them that they may be getting papers that looked identical. If you did not have enough time to change your subject (nor should you), tell them that you are willing to undergo an in-depth interview with them in addition to the submitted paper.
You may have given your friend the idea for the subject, but only you know your own thoughts and ideas on which your paper is based, therefore you may be able to explain the logic (or research questions) to your professors more clearly than your friend.
Like Cerberus say, plagiarism is very easy to spot by a trained person.
And yes, in this case, keep your ideas to yourself - or stop telling it to her for now. I am sure you have other friends who are better than her, who will instead, give you suggestions and help you find supporting literature for your work.
But, in the event that she did not realize that she had unintentionally stole your initial idea for the subject, you can both work it out so that the approach (or interpretation, or focus) would significantly different from each other. No harm done there - and it may even be fun working and helping each other with the literature.
Enjoy your study years while you can!
Cat
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A
female
reader, happytochat +, writes (27 February 2009):
I used to have a friend like this who did it to me all throughout high school! It was so annoying, and frustrating. I would think of a great idea, so I would share it with her out of excitement- after all, that is what friends do right? But then she would act quick, and claim my ideas as her own. So our teacher would think they were her brillient ideas since she was the first to show them to the teacher.
You need to stop showing your "friend" your ideas. I know its hard, but you really have to, for yourself, and for her too- shes not doing herself any favours copying people, beause when she gets out into the real world, that wont work.
You have two options- you can either talk to your teacher about the issue, or confront your friend.
I understand you are worried that this might strain the friendship, but honestly- shes already put strain on it! You dont copy someone elses work, especially not a friends. Think about it,would a true friend really do this? I dont think so.
If, however you still seriously want to keep this friendship, then talking to her first about it might be the best way. Tell her to stop it, not do it again, and to change her current work that she hasnt submitted yet that she copied off you. If she isnt prepared to do this, then she isnt a true friend and I would go tell a teacher.
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A
reader, anonymous, writes (27 February 2009): Plagiarism is very easy to spot, believe me, I think you should have a look at her work and see how closely it resembles yours, because if it's practically the same thing, then you'll have to discuss it with a teacher on the hypothetical(i.e. no names), because after it is handed in it is impossible to tell who copied from who so you'll both get into trouble and be accused either of plagiarism or syndication.
Did you talk to her about it? Maybe she doesn't relaize it but she's putting your entire future in jeapardy, if that happens you won't want to be her friend.
So check her work.
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