There are vast amounts of information on Copyright, of which we are just addressing the tip of the iceberg. The bottom line is that anytime you use someone else’s work you must give due credit and note your source appropriately. If you create something and want to protect it, you easily can and you should! There is information about Copyright that everyone should be aware of. If you do a Google search and type in ‘copyright cautions’ or ‘copyright basics’ you will be reading for a long time and reading some very interesting information.
Using someone’s idea or protecting your own idea raises issues of Copyright
In your FET ?Handout: page 19, we provide a brief introduction and overview regarding copyright law, fair use and resources. Take some time to read this information.
An additional resource is www.copyright.gov – online usage of using copyright materials. Go online and check the vast information available regarding copyright.
Next we share cautions, one related to internet use, which are important for you to be aware of.
The way to avoid a copyright problem regarding someone’s creative work; article, photo, idea, poem, etc., is to properly secure written permission from the copyright holder.
Once you have gained written permission for use, you will not violate copyright. Be aware: you must secure the appropriate permission that identifies the specific contexts of usage.
For example, when an author consents to a teacher photocopying from his/her manuscript for a class, this is not consent for the teacher to post that same work on the internet unless the agreement expressly includes that permission.
Limited use of materials for teaching, scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright.
Though you can make copies for educational purposes, the amount of copies you can make before you must secure permission is very limited. All information, work, and items that you use from others, in part or whole, must be clearly cited.
You must provide clear citations for work that is used in full, or in part, for training purposes.
Put your work in writing, with or without ©
(c) = ©
Register copyright using the internet address, http://www.copyright.gov, also found in the handout.