Dear Erin,

How do I stop my friend from copying my work?

From,

Case of Copycat

Dear Case of Copycat,

Having friends who don’t understand the sacred bond that is copyright and intellectual property is a totally normal occurrence. Cheating doesn’t just reflect poorly on their moral character, it also puts you at risk of getting a zero or worse.  A good way to stop cheaters is to put up a physical barrier. This will stop the cheater from seeing your work. Another way to stop a cheater is to ask to do your work in the hallway. Most teachers will not have a problem if you work in the hallway.  If neither of these work you could confront the cheater. Tell them that you do not know the answers and that they are putting both themselves and you at risk of being punished. You need to put a sense of ownership on them for the situation but do not blame them because that causes drama. You should evaluate how much you appreciate them as a friend. If they keep on cheating then report them to a trusted adult.