Broadening Tutoring Business

[wehra]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? AZ

I've been tutoring math for several years, and at this point, I mostly tutor college algebra students from The University of Arizona. Because of this, I have to do the same midterm/final review packets about 15 times a semester. Many of the students could use a packet of worked out solutions, and only one meeting with me to work out the ones they are struggling with. That being said, would it be legal to offer a solutions packet to these problems and sell them? If not, can I make a packet of similar problems (changed numbers) and sell that? All of this would be as study aids as most classes don't have to turn in the guide for a grade.

 

[Zigner]

Selling the answers isn't usually a good thing to do.

 

[wehra]

As stated, this is not a homework assignment or a test. Is it wrong of me to sell my time to show them solutions in person? They also sell solution manuals for text books, do you think that is a bad thing to do? My question is purely a question of copyright, not integrity.

 

[Zigner]

As stated, this is not a homework assignment or a test. Is it wrong of me to sell my time to show them solutions in person? They also sell solution manuals for text books, do you think that is a bad thing to do? My question is purely a question of copyright, not integrity.

Oh, I see. You want to COPY their work (without permission) and sell it (along with the answers) to others. Right?

 

[wehra]

I can see that there is not an understanding here. I am a tutor. There is no copying. I'm asking if I can sell a solution manual if I did not make up the problems myself. Please be respectful of the question. There is no cheating or grade inflation involved in this process. When the midterm is coming up, the same packet is given out every semester as a tool to help them study. The teachers give the students the answers (to be able to check their work), but they do not provide an explanation on how they got to that answer. I would like to make a packet available where *I* work out the problems in detail, and make it available for students who would rather read that than sit in a 2-hour long tutoring session with me where we do the problems together.

 

[LdiJ]

I can see that there is not an understanding here. I am a tutor. There is no copying. I'm asking if I can sell a solution manual if I did not make up the problems myself. Please be respectful of the question. There is no cheating or grade inflation involved in this process. When the midterm is coming up, the same packet is given out every semester as a tool to help them study. The teachers give the students the answers (to be able to check their work), but they do not provide an explanation on how they got to that answer. I would like to make a packet available where *I* work out the problems in detail, and make it available for students who would rather read that than sit in a 2-hour long tutoring session with me where we do the problems together.

I suggest that you make up a guide where you create the problems, rather than using ones created by someone else. That should not be that difficult for you to do.

 

[wehra]

Thank you. In my original post I ask, is it enough just to change the numbers? Or would the problems have to be drastically modified?

 

[LdiJ]

Thank you. In my original post I ask, is it enough just to change the numbers? Or would the problems have to be drastically modified?

It depends. If these are complex word problems with lots of details changing the numbers might not be enough. If these are pretty standard problems then changing the numbers is probably enough.

 

[wehra]

I greatly appreciate your feedback. Thank you!

 

[LdiJ]

I greatly appreciate your feedback. Thank you!

You are welcome.

 

[quincy]

I can see that there is not an understanding here. I am a tutor. There is no copying. I'm asking if I can sell a solution manual if I did not make up the problems myself. Please be respectful of the question. There is no cheating or grade inflation involved in this process. When the midterm is coming up, the same packet is given out every semester as a tool to help them study. The teachers give the students the answers (to be able to check their work), but they do not provide an explanation on how they got to that answer. I would like to make a packet available where *I* work out the problems in detail, and make it available for students who would rather read that than sit in a 2-hour long tutoring session with me where we do the problems together.

There have been several lawsuits filed over the selling of study guides that use someone else's problems. The unauthorized sellers of these guides generally do not fare well in the suits. The "packets" of questions provided by the teachers are (generally) rights-protected.

Using the material you get in class to help you tutor students is one thing. But what you need to do is create your own problems with your own solutions, based on what is studied in the class, if you wish to market these guides to students.