I copied a good friends work at university - I feel horribly about it

I am really hoping he will not be notified of this? I cannot imagine there would be a reason for him to be. Also hoping my module leads won't be too.

I had an assignment due at the end of last term. After trying to figure out what I was supposed to write for months. My friend sent me over his assignment as he wanted me to grammar check it, it was the first time any of it had made sense.

So I took some *serious* inspiration from his work and whilst I paraphrased lots of it. I included some of my own ideas too, but most of my TurnItIn report (25%) links it back to his paper.

I completely understood how detrimental this would be at the time and have felt so ashamed ever since. I really want to come clean. I'm going to message my university and accept any consequences that come my way. I understand that he would be punished as he sent me his paper and that is not allowed anyway, so I am going to say I copied it, when he left his laptop unattended. I will take a 'zero' and he will receive the mark he deserves.

I am really hoping he will not be notified of this? I cannot imagine there would be a reason for him to be. Also hoping my module leads won't be too.

I'm glad you want to do the right thing, but this is wishful thinking. They would be derelict in their duty if they did not inform your friend they had been the victim of such a direct theft, and given the (accurate) possibility of collusion they would likely want to talk to you both and wouldn't just take your word for it.

Though this may be immoral, I would recommend not notifying the uni of anything until or unless they flag this up and get in contact with you for a disciplinary meeting or some such; there is a small possibility you could get away with it. And if this is the case I'm sure you've learnt your lesson and won't do this again, if you have doubts about the assignment then arrange a meeting with the course organiser and/or the lecturer(s)! However, if they do detect the plagiarism and decide to open an investigation then your friend will definitely be notified about it and will also be investigated for their role in the offence.

Thank you very much for your response. You think I shouldn't say anything. I guess you think that they will find out about the situation anyway, so I may as well wait. This is still an option in my mind, although, it could be a month before I get the assignment back, which feels like far too long to agonise about it. You are so right about contacting my lecturers and asking for help, I have always really struggled with that in the past. Hopefully, things will all work out for me. Lesson learned!!