Plagiarism and Copyright Facts for Students
See also:
You Quote It, You Note It!
- an interactive plagiarism prevention tutorial
from Vaughn Memorial Library @ Acadia University in Nova Scotia
Plagiarism & Copyright Definitions
What is copyright?
Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States to the authors of “original works of authorship,” including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. Copyright is automatically applied when the work is created and "fixed in a copy" in some format (e.g., paper, film, audio, etc.), even if it does not mention or list the © symbol or the word "copyright." Students may avoid plagiarism and use copyrighted material in their projects if they follow a few simple steps and a few simple rules.
What is plagiarism?
Presenting someone else's ideas as your own and/or not giving credit to sources that you use in any project is considered plagiarism. Not only is plagiarism dishonest, it is illegal.
What is common knowledge?
The only information you do not have to document is common knowledge or information most anyone with a common culture would know. We know that George Washington was the first president of the United States or that Hawaii is the fiftieth state. You do not have to find a source for that type of information. What about common sayings such as “A stitch in time saves nine?” It is not plagiarism if you do not find the source for such phrases. However, if you can find the source, in this case, from Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanac, your paper will have that much more impact.
What is public domain?
Any work with no copyright protection is labeled as public domain and is available for anyone to use. Government documents and works created before 1923 are considered in the public domain. Take a look at Creative Commons, supported by the Stanford University Law School, that provides a searchable database for locating items in the public domain-freely available or for non-commercial use if the author is given credit.
What is fair use?
When using copyrighted materials for your assignment, you are able to use video, audio, text and images that would otherwise be off limits. Your ability to use copyrighted materials for school work is considered fair use. The U.S. courts use the following criteria to determine fair use:
- Purpose and character of the use
- Nature of the copyrighted work
- Percentage of copyrighted work used
- Effect of use upon the potential markets
How Do I Avoid Plagiarism?
How do I cite the materials I used?
There are several different ways to cite the materials you use in your projects. Make sure your teacher tells you what style to follow for your bibliography. Usually you will need to cite internally (inside the content of your project) and in a bibliography at the end of your project. Think of your bibliography as credits at the end of the film. Everyone who was involved in making the project possible deserves credit.
How can I learn to use the citation style my professor requires?
There are many resources that can help you. There are entire books that will explain how to cite everything. You can get them at the library or buy them at the bookstore. Ask your teacher or librarian for assistance.
When do I cite in the text of my paper?
Internal citations in the paper itself are necessary after a direct quote, which should always be in quotation marks, or after an idea has been paraphrased. These citations usually appear at the end of a sentence or paragraph.
What do I include in my bibliography or works cited page?
All copyrighted items used to create your paper or project must be in your bibliography. For example, you would cite books, newspaper articles, Internet pages, images, and multimedia information you included in your project.
Will anyone really know if I do not cite sources used?
Professors will often be able to tell if your writing or presentation is an original creation or from someone else. They also will want to make sure that the initial creator of the works used is being given proper credit. This practice is ethical and legal. If you didn't give credit properly, your integrity and class grade would likely suffer. Stealing words and ideas is considered theft.
What Are the Guidelines about Using Multimedia in a Project?
What if I use pictures or images from the Internet?
On the Internet you will find a mix of clip art (pictures that are available for you to use as you’d like), and pictures that are copyrighted, or owned by someone else. If it isn’t labeled, assume that someone else owns the picture and follow these guidelines:
- Only 5 images can be taken from one source (copied from web page or scanned from a book).
- Cite where you found the pictures in your bibliography.
- Free clip art sites will be labeled as such. If it doesn't say you can use the images for free, assume that someone owns them.
- Images in the Microsoft Clip Art Gallery are fine to use for assignments.
What if I want to use a movie or film clip?
Movie clips that you find on the Internet, tape from TV, check out from a library, or have in your personal collection are copyrighted or owned by someone else. Free sites will be labeled. If the movie isn't labeled, assume that someone else owns the rights to that movie and follow these guidelines:
- 10% or a maximum of 3 minutes of a video can be included in your presentation
- Cite where you found the videos in your bibliography
What if I use downloaded music or other audio?
Audio clips refer to music and sounds. Some of these are available for free. Free sites will be labeled. If a site it isn’t labeled, assume that someone else owns the rights to the particular music or sound and follow these guidelines:
- 30 seconds is the limit
- If a video clip is used with music in background, it must be treated as a musical clip which allows only 30 seconds run time.
How do I cite sources in a PowerPoint presentation?
Include the following two slides in your Power Point presentations if using any copyrighted images, video clips or audio clips:
- Your title slide needs to have the following disclaimer:
Certain materials in the presentation are included in the Fair Use exemption of the U.S. Copyright Law
- Your last slide is your bibliography. It lists all the works cited in your presentation. In addition to sources where you found text information, you should list sources for images, sound clips, and audio clips.
Contact the Library:
chat |
email | 281.290.3214 or 281.290.3219
Go to Other Library Pages: