The University of San Diego has information to help you understand copyright and use copyrighted materials in your teaching and research.
Copyright Basics: A general overview of copyright law, especially as it pertains to scholarly and educational activities.
Electronic Copyright Guidelines: How to comply with copyright law when using learning management systems (e.g., Blackboard, TWEN) or the electronic course reserves system.
Still have questions? Email copyright@sandiego.edu for assistance with your copyright questions.
Need to secure permission? Click for direct access to the Copyright Clearing House (a one-stop shop for obtaining copyright permission)
Electronic Materials
Q: Do the copyright principles that apply to print materials also apply to electronic materials?
A: Yes. The principles that apply to materials posted electronically are the same as those that apply to print materials.
Link, Upload, or Print
Q: Should I link to electronic materials instead of uploading them or printing copies?
A: It is preferable to link to materials already legally available online or in a library database.
Amount of the Work
Q: How much can I copy without permission?
A: It is generally considered safe to copy one journal article per issue and up to 10% of other intellectual properties.
Sourcing
Q: If I'm using a small amount of the work, do I have to include attribution to the source?
A: It is important to include citations anytime you use someone else's work, regardless of the amount.
Academic Purposes
Q: I'm using the work for academic purposes, doesn't that mean it is a "Fair Use"?
A: Not necessarily. The fair use doctrine provides for limited use of copyrighted materials for educational and research purposes without permission from the copyright owner. Whether a particular use is a "fair use" requires a case-by-case balancing of four subjective factors. Those factors include:
