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Everything You Need to Know About Google Docs

Google Docs is a powerful online document creation and collaboration tool that allows users to create, edit, and share documents in real time. It’s a great way to collaborate with colleagues, classmates, or friends on projects or assignments. With Google Docs, you can easily access your documents from any device with an internet connection. Here’s everything you need to know about Google Docs.

Creating Documents

Creating documents with Google Docs is simple and straightforward. All you need to do is open the app and click on the “Create” button. From there, you can choose from a variety of templates or start from scratch with a blank document. You can also upload existing documents from your computer or other cloud-based storage services like Dropbox or Google Drive. Once you’ve created your document, you can start typing away and adding formatting such as bolding, italicizing, and underlining text. You can also add images, tables, charts, and more to your document.

Collaborating With Others

One of the best features of Google Docs is its collaboration capabilities. With just a few clicks, you can invite others to view or edit your document in real time. This makes it easy for teams to work together on projects without having to be in the same room or even the same city. You can also chat with other collaborators directly within the document so everyone stays on the same page.

Sharing Documents

Once you’ve finished creating and collaborating on your document, it’s time to share it with others. With Google Docs, you can easily share documents via email or link sharing with just a few clicks. You can also control who has access to view or edit your documents so only those who need access will have it.

Google Docs is an incredibly useful tool for creating and collaborating on documents online. With its easy-to-use interface and powerful features, it’s no wonder why so many people use it every day. Whether you’re working on a project with colleagues or just want an easy way to share documents with friends and family, Google Docs has got you covered.

This text was generated using a large language model, and select text has been reviewed and moderated for purposes such as readability.

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How to Say No to Classmates & Friends

If your classmates or friends are asking you to engage in academic misconduct - it is important to have the courage to say no . 

Committing an academic offence, or assisting someone in committing an academic offence, can have a direct impact on your grades, your degree, and your future. Read below for some responses you can use if a friend or classmate approaches you. 

Scenario: Your classmate or friend asks you to join a group chat to share answers for tests or assignments

While group chats and social media are a good tool to connect students, particularly during the remote environment, it is important that boundaries are established in group chats. When collaboration is not permitted (e.g., on a test or individual assignment), sharing answers in a group chat or on social media is an academic offence.

If a classmate asks you to share answers in a group chat, let them know that it is an academic offence and could negatively impact all of the group members. Instead, suggest to use the group chat to discuss course concepts and readings. Establish the following boundaries:

• The group chat will be used to discuss course concepts and readings
• The group chat will not share answers, unless explicitly permitted by the instructor
• Any cheating in the group chat will be reported to the instructor

Scenario: Your classmate or friend asks to look at your assignment for inspiration

Sharing assessments, unless explicitly permitted by the instructor, is an academic offence. Students are expected to complete their assessments using their own thoughts, ideas, and analysis. If you share your assessment with someone else, they may advertently or inadvertently use your work, which could get you both into trouble. 

If a classmate or friend asks to look at your assignment, let them know this is an academic offence. Protect the work that have done!

Instead, if they are having trouble completing the assignment on their own, suggest they use the following campus resources:

• E-mail their instructor or visit their office hours or contact the TA for help 
• Visit the Writing and Communication Centre for assistance with the writing process
• Ask a Librarian for help finding research related to their topic
• Use the Assignment Planner to break the assignment up into manageable chucks and access related resources
• Use the  SSO resources on time management and completing assignments, or book an appointment with a peer success coach

Scenario: A classmate or friend asks you to complete their work for them

Having someone else complete your work, whether for payment, bartering or for free, is an academic offence called 'contract cheating' or 'assignment outsourcing'. Having friends, classmates or family members complete a students work is not allowed. 

If a classmate or friend asks you to complete their work, let them know it is an academic offence that could get you both in trouble. 

If they are having difficulties completing the assignment on their own, suggest they use the following campus resources:

• E-mail their instructor or visit their office hours or contact the TA for help 

Scenario: Your classmate or friend has an unauthorized copy of a previous or current assessment (e.g., final exam)

If a student has an unauthorized copy of a test, exam, assignment, or solutions, it is an academic offence, regardless of whether or not the student actually used it while completing the assessment. Students using an unauthorized copy are not being fair to other students who are completing their work honestly. Further, if students cheat in this way, the assessment won't accurately assess their knowledge on the topic. 

If a classmate or friend offers you a copy of an unauthorized assessment, decline their offer. Have the courage to report the unauthorized assessment to the course instructor and/or Associate Dean of the Faculty so they can investigate. 

Scenario: Your classmate or friend asks you to collaborate on an individual assessment

Collaborating on an individual assessment, such as a test, exam, or an assignment, is an academic offence. Your instructor should specify whether collaboration is permitted. If you're not sure, check with your instructor before collaborating. Did you know that both parties who collaborated on an individual assessment have committed misconduct, regardless of who submitted the work?

If a classmate asks you to collaborate on an individual assessment, let them know it is an academic offence and you could both get in trouble. If they are having trouble completing the assignment on their own, suggest they use the following campus resources:

If an academic offence has occurred, under Policy 71 you must report the misconduct to the course instructor and/or the Associate Dean of the Faculty. Although you may be reluctant to report your friend or classmate, identifying academic misconduct helps create a level playing field for everyone and a upholds a culture of integrity. Moreover, it ensures the quality and credibility of a degree from the University of Waterloo.

Here are some tips to report misconduct:

• Do not investigate the misconduct on your own
• If you have been made aware that another student has committed an academic offence, e-mail the instructor and/or the Associate Dean of your Faculty your concern and any evidence that you have
• If are uncomfortable alerting the instructor and/or the Associate Dean of your Faculty, e-mail the Office of Academic Integrity - we'd be happy to alert the relevant parties on your behalf

Contact Academic Integrity

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​​​​​​​collaboration: when you can and when you can’t work with others, collaboration:, when you can and when you can’t work with others.

Collaboration is working with another or receiving assistance from someone (a classmate, friend, or parent, whether in person or electronically) to complete course work for a grade. Sometimes collaboration may be permitted, other times it is not. Collaboration can include:

• Jointly calculating homework problems
• Working in a group on a lab assignment
• Having another help one rewrite a paper
• Checking homework answers with others
• Sharing sources for a take-home exam
• “Debugging” another’s computer program

What is unauthorized collaboration ?

“Unauthorized collaboration” means working with others, without the specific permission of the instructor, on assignments that will be submitted for a grade. This rule applies to in-class or take-home tests, papers, labs, or homework assignments. Students may not collaborate without faculty authorization.

What are the ground rules?

Under the Code of Academic Conduct , all work submitted for a grade must be the student’s own original, independent work, unless the instructor permits collaboration, use of sources, or outside assistance.

• If working with others or receiving assistance is allowed, any help or collaboration must be given credit and cited.
• Students must comply with the course rules, and may only work together, or receive help, to the extent allowed by the instructor.
• If unsure about the limits, students must seek the instructor’s permission before working with one another.
• Even if the instructor permits collaboration, it is never ethical to copy someone’s work or let them copy yours.
• If your instructor asks whether you worked with anyone on an assignment, always tell the truth.

What about studying together?

The rules about unauthorized collaboration do not mean that students can't study together or help each other learn. Students are encouraged to do this. Having study partners and explaining concepts and ideas to one another is valuable in the learning process. If in doubt, ask your instructor.

1. In a computer science class, students are allowed to discuss “general concepts,” but all computer code submitted must be “individual work.” Four students assume they can work in a group, since each of them writes part of the code. Is this unauthorized collaboration?

Yes. “Individual work” means that students must work alone. Even if they didn’t copy, portions of the code submitted by each student were written by the other students – none of these four wrote all their own code as assigned. “General concepts” do not include specific solutions, answers, or code.

2. An instructor prohibits all collaboration, and tells students not to discuss homework, solve problems together, or compare answers. During office hours, a student asks about a homework assignment and the TA explains the question. Seeing this, two students work on the homework together. Have they violated the professor's rule?

Yes. Assistance provided by those who teach the course (whether in class, at discussion sections, or during office hours) does not imply or give permission for students to work together on assignments. Students may not exceed the limits set by the instructor, and may only work together as specified.

3. Students are assigned to do a lab experiment as partners because the apparatus needs two operators. Partners are allowed to discuss the concepts involved in the experiment and the lab report format, but calculations and write-ups (procedures and equipment used, results, graphs, and conclusions) are to be completed by each student, working alone, in the student's own words. Two student partners discuss their analysis of the data and work together to create a joint data table and graphs. Each paraphrases the joint work and submits the same table and graphs, formatted with different fonts and spacing. Did they break the rules?

Yes. Analyzing data, preparing graphs, and writing the report are important parts of the learning process; each student was required to do them alone. Even if neither copied, and they worked together only on the graphs, they still broke the rule.

Can the rules change from one course to the next? From one assignment to the next? 

Yes. Collaboration may be permitted in one class and forbidden in another, because faculty have varying teaching strategies and goals. Different subjects (English, computer science, microbiology, and drama) require different approaches. Some assignments may be designed for individual work, and others for groups. Important lessons are learned from working individually, while group work develops other abilities. Working alone builds a student’s individual skills, knowledge, and self-confidence. This permits a more accurate and individually tailored evaluation of each student’s strengths and weaknesses, achievements and needs for improvement. When allowed, collaboration gives students experience working on a team, and they can learn from solving problems together, discussing questions, sharing strategies, and giving mutual encouragement. Students need both experiences – working alone and collaborating – to prepare for their chosen fields.

How can you know which rules apply?

• Read the syllabus, review the course website, and follow assignment instructions.
• If you’re not sure, ask the instructor. Or call OSSJA for help with understanding the rules.
• Don’t guess or assume – if you’re confused, others probably are too. You can help by raising the issue with the instructor.
• When in doubt, remember the Code of Academic Conduct requires students to work alone unless they have permission to work together.
• Students may consult tutors about pending work, as long as the tutor only identifies errors or demonstrates sample problems that are NOT part of the assignment. The tutor may not fix mistakes, re-write papers, or do homework for the student.
• Students may study together for tests, and may discuss concepts, readings, and notes to help each other learn the material before the test.

Why limit or prohibit collaboration?

• Unauthorized collaboration misrepresents joint work as the work of an individual.
• Unauthorized collaboration gives those who break the rules an unjust advantage and creates unfair competition.
• Those who always work with others are unaware of gaps in their own knowledge and skills, and do not learn all they can or should from their assignments.

Students are held accountable for understanding and following class rules, and must ask questions if they are unsure.

Although new technologies and communications media make unauthorized collaboration easier than ever, it can be detected. Some students who break the rules might not get caught this time – but next time they will. Unauthorized collaboration is unfair and undermines the educational goals of the University. If you have questions about course rules, talk to your instructor. For assistance regarding these issues, please visit the OSSJA website or call our office (530-752-1128).

Collaboration (Updated October 2022)

• Personal Rights and Responsibilities
• Academic Rights and Responsibilities
• Questioning Cell Phone Use
• Signing-In for a Classmate
• Reusing Your Own Paper
• Avoiding Misrepresentation
• Class Presentation and Attribution of Diagrams, Charts, and Tables
• Translation and Quotation Marks

Sharing Your Work

• Requesting a Re-read
• Your Homework, Your Responsibility
• Working Together
• "I Didn't Know the Rules!"
• Paraphrasing and Citation
• Tutorial Part 2: Plagiarism Examples
• For Instructors
• The Disciplinary Process
• Resolving Disputes
• Publications and Policies
• Policies on Student Rights and Responsibilities

A grader for a course notices similarities between two assignments. It turns out that you loaned your finished work to your friend to give them an idea of how to proceed with the assignment. Without your knowledge, the friend copied some answers and handed in the homework. You assume that since you did not give permission to your friend to copy your work you have not violated the Code. Are you right?

Why is this an issue?

Peer teaching and peer learning are important and effective study strategies for students. However, giving a completed assignment to a friend is not peer teaching and copying answers is not peer learning. Unintentionally or otherwise, the student who passed on the assignment enabled cheating to occur, and has therefore committed a violation. An interview with the disciplinary officer will be required. See the  Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures in the Handbook on Student Rights and Responsibilities for more details.

How can it be avoided?

Peer learning should be encouraged, since it helps students learn to teach. Instructors should explain effective peer teaching strategies such as working in pairs, sharing comments on work, and brainstorming solutions to problems in groups. Sharing completed work is not an acceptable peer learning technique. If a student has copied the answers of another student, the incident must be documented and the material sent to the course instructor, who will contact the appropriate disciplinary officer.

If I tell my friend in another course section about quiz questions, is that cheating? If your friend has not yet written the quiz, both of you will have violated the Code; sharing unauthorized information and using unauthorized information are both offences.

Related Information "Never have, never will, besides the person next to me probably knows less than I do." - Student response to survey question on reasons not to cheat. - Andrews, K. G., Smith, L. A., Henzi, D., & Demps, E. (2007). Faculty and student perceptions of academic integrity at U.S. and Canadian dental schools. Journal of Dental Education, 71 , 1027-1039. Retrieved from web .

Related Content

Click here for a list of University Policies and Regulations 

Test Your Knowledge!

Do you know the facts about academic integrity at McGill?

Department and University Information

Student rights and responsibilities.

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How to Deal With Classmates Who Want Answers to Homework

Last Updated: November 14, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Emily Listmann, MA . Emily Listmann is a private tutor in San Carlos, California. She has worked as a Social Studies Teacher, Curriculum Coordinator, and an SAT Prep Teacher. She received her MA in Education from the Stanford Graduate School of Education in 2014. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 115,396 times.

If you're a responsible and hardworking student, then it's likely your peers have asked for your homework answers. You may be tempted to break the rules and share your answers because of social pressure, but this hurts both you and the person who copies you. Protecting your answers from would-be cheaters is the right thing to do, and actually helps them become better students in the long run. You can prepare to resist peer pressure and avoid cheating by learning ways that you can say "no" to other students, as well as how to manage their expectations of you. Finally, you may want to consider starting a study group that allows you and your peers to learn together. It'll all be more productive for you and your friends.

• You may accidentally encourage your classmate to apply more pressure if you soften your “no” in an attempt to be friendly. Avoid using statements like “I don’t know” or “this may be a bad idea.” Instead, trust the clarity and power of a direct “no.”
• Do not provide a complicated answer, just say no. A complicated explanation that emphasizes unusual circumstances may seem friendlier or more helpful, but it can provide an opportunity for your classmate to challenge your refusal and to ask again.

• You can say “I know this is important, but my answer is not going to change,” or “I know that you are worried about grades, but I never share my answers.”
• If you feel yourself weakening, remind yourself of the consequences you could face if you're caught sharing answers. Your teacher could deny you credit for the work you've done since by sharing your work you've engaged in cheating.

• Remember that the long term repercussions outweigh the immediate pressure. A school year can seem like a very long time, and you may worry about awkward situations if you disappoint a classmate. If you say no to a classmate, you may feel uncomfortable for a few days or weeks. If you are caught cheating, the consequences can last for years.
• Point out to the student that the consequences remain even if you don't get caught. Copying homework answers doesn't help you learn the information, so the student who copies you won't be prepared for bigger assignments, such as the upcoming test. Even if they don't get caught now, they may not pass the course if they fail the test.

• Pay careful attention to your school’s rules regarding plagiarism. Plagiarism can seriously damage your academic record. Since what counts as plagiarism may not always be instinctive, speak with your teacher to clarify confusions that you may have. Your teacher will appreciate the opportunity address these questions before potentially plagiarized work is submitted.

• Remember, if the other student doesn't do the homework, then they aren't learning the course material. Most likely, they will fail the big assignments, such as tests.
• Keep in mind that sharing answers would make you guilty of cheating, as well. You could jeopardize your future if you decide to share your answers.

Managing Your Classmates’ Expectations

• When discussing your progress, highlight the effort you're putting into the class, but acknowledge that you won't know how well you know the subject until after your work is graded. Say, "I'm taking good notes and reading the material, but I won't know if my answers are right until I get my paper graded."
• Keep your homework concealed until the moment it is due. Discourage your classmates from asking for your homework answers by not publicizing it. If someone asks you for answers to homework that isn't due for quite a while, you can always lie that you haven't finished it yet.

• Anticipate cheating around test times. Due to the high value placed on providing specific answers for assigning grades, stress can increase before major tests. This may make cheating seem more attractive. Before a test or major assignment, encourage a student that may ask you for answers or offer to study with them. This may reinforce proper study habits and discourage cheating.

Creating a Study Group

• Ask your classmate about their study habits. You may be able to explain how they can do homework more effectively.

• Pay special attention not to emphasize the depth of your understanding. Your goal is to work with the student, not to give them answers. Make sure that they are actively involved.

Community Q&A

• Offer to help struggling classmates. You will learn as much as you teach, and you will lessen the need for and appeal of cheating. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Ask the teacher for advice in confidence. Most high school and college teachers understand the complex nature of social structures in their classrooms. If you are dissatisfied, consult another teacher in the department, your adviser or your dean (principal). Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Being an accomplice to cheating is usually punished as harshly as cheating. If you feel that your study group may be close to being a cheating ring, immediately seek consultation from a trusted adult. Thanks Helpful 15 Not Helpful 0
• Be sure that the teacher knows about your study group. Otherwise, when a few students miss the same questions on an assignment, the teacher will assume cheating has taken place. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://psychcentral.com/lib/learning-to-say-no
• ↑ https://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin/admin375.shtml
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolution-the-self/201401/praise-manipulation-6-reasons-question-compliments
• ↑ http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ720382
• ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/education/2009/jun/09/how-to-be-a-student-study-group

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