Well, this doesn’t sound fair, now does it?

Adding someone’s name to a paper as an author when they didn’t do any of the work?

Say whaaaaaaaat?!?!

Well, it happened, folks, and this college student asked readers on Reddit if they were wrong for refusing this request.

Read on and see what you think about what went down.

AITA for not letting my friend add a professor’s name to our group paper that was accepted at an international publication? I ruined a friendship over this.

“When I was in my first year of college, I met this girl Clara. I should say that I am extremely shy and making friends was always hard for me. But she was so great!

I’ve always been very academically inclined. I like doing a job that I can be proud of. This made my work with Clara ideal and I considered her a close friend.

In 2019 a professor asked us to write a paper for her class. I saw that, as congress was happening in 2020, we could deliver our paper to both the class and the congress. We did so with another girl (Anna).

Our paper got accepted and we received feedback. I had to butcher most of my work to fit and Clara’s part became a lot more prominent. She wanted to do more work, as long as we were okay with her being the main author of the paper. I accepted.

As the pandemic hit, I asked multiple times if any help was needed with the paper. The answer was no.

When our date to send the text was coming, I helped format the file, make the images and make it compliant with the scientific standards.

They got some unexpected news.

Then I got the bombshell. Clara wanted me to add another author to the paper, her professor from the internship so she (Clara) could get promoted.

I had a huge problem with this.

1) if our paper was about cows, the professor taught about light bulbs.

2) I was not told over the past 5 months that the professor actually did ANY work on our paper.

3) I already sent my name along with Clara’s and Anna’s. I would need to make a formal request.

4) The nail on the coffin for me, as we would no longer be 3 authors but 4, my name would never be cited along the paper, only the main author (CLARA).

They wouldn’t do it.

So I said no.

I told her that if the authorship thing did not matter to her, we should pick a random person to be the main author. She said no to that. I suggested that adding the professor as an honorable mention.

Clara would have gotten her way if not for:

I was the one that sent the papers in the first place

She would not stop harassing me. I saw now she was never my friend. I was waiting for her to at least compromise. When she called me for the third time, I told her that she could add the professor, whatever.

They weren’t gonna stand by and watch this go down, however.

I would be sending an email to the committee expressing that that professor never made a single contribution to said paper. I was ready to go down with this ship. I was sad and hurt and meant every word I said.

She did not add the professor.

I was so hurt that I set myself back a semester in college. I could not process being in the same class with her and noticing I had no friends. I was afraid that I would have to make new friends and would not be able to.

The good thing is that was not true. I met my best friend then.

On graduation day Clara sent me a long text about friendship and sending best wishes. I sent her a text saying thank you, and nothing more.

AITA?”

Check out what folks had to say on Reddit.

This person said they’re NTA.

Another reader agreed.

This individual shared their thoughts.

Another Reddit user also said they’re NTA.

And this reader had a lot to say.

They don’t need to feel bad for saying no to this proposal.

Thought that was satisfying? Check out what this employee did when their manager refused to pay for their time while they were traveling for business.