- Before using any copyrighted materials, make sure they have been obtained through:
- Legal download/ purchase
- Licensed to the organization or institution.
Don't Share Copyrighted Materials
- Avoid sharing copyrighted works
(e.g. images, articles) with others without their permission or as granted by law; instead give accurate citations of the original sources so that others can research the topic.
Give Proper Citations
- Include Citations( author, title, date, source)
- Give credit for the ideas and research of others to demonstrate academic honesty and prevent plagiarism when using copyrighted works in research.
Paraphrase or Quote When Citing
- Directly quoting (word for word) is best done sparingly with proper citation of the source
- When it is necessary to copy a direct quotation for an accurate representation of the original work, ensure it does not constitute a substantial portion or is not the central part of your own work.
- Paraphrase when possible- putting the ideas of others into your own words. However, this should still include proper citations.
Check and Follow Fair Use Guidelines
- In certain cases, you may use copyrighted materials for educational purposes under the concept of "Fair Use ". Be sure to adhere to the fair use criteria and give appropriate attribution to the creators of the original works.
Obtain Permission if Necessary
- Always seek permission from the copyright
holder before using copyrighted material in your projects, especially when your intended use does not fall under fair use. This is important for distributing or publicly presenting copyrighted works.
Understand Copyright Laws
- Familiarize yourself with the copyright laws in your country to ensure you are using copyrighted material legally.