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Copyright is a form of intellectual property law that provides legal protection to the creators of original works of authorship. It grants the creator the exclusive right to use, distribute, and control how their work is used by others.

Why is it important

  • Copyright ensures that authors protect their intellectual property and control how it's used.
  • Copyright ensures that people can use others' work ethically and legally.
  • Copyright ensures that researchers can share their findings with the academic community while respecting legal frameworks.

How do I comply with copyright legislation?

  • Always attribute when referring to another creators work by referencing
  • Link or refer to original material - do not re-reproduce
  • Do not link to infringing material
  • If in doubt seek written consent from the copyright owner
  • Libraries are able to supply you with copies of material under exceptions in the Act related to libraries, research, study, education and professional advice
Example
Dr. Roberts ia a researcher and follows Australian copyright law by obtaining permission to use copyrighted journal articles and images for their research. They ensure proper attribution when quoting or using small sections for their study. Dr. Roberts adheres to licensing requirements and uses their hospital library's subscriptions to access academic content legally.

Recommended resources:

Quick guide to copyright

Monash Health Library. (2020). Copyright and Creative Commons for researchers. 

Creative Commons (CC) is a system of free, legally-permissible copyright licenses that allows creators to share their work while giving users permission to use it under certain conditions. It provides a way for creators to retain some rights to their work, while allowing others to use, distribute, and sometimes modify it.

Why is it important

  • CC licenses make it clear what others can and cannot do with a work, helping avoid copyright infringement.
  • It encourages the sharing of knowledge, research, and creative content by making it easier for others to reuse and remix materials legally.

How to use CC content

  • When using CC content, check the specific terms of the license.
  • Most CC licenses require you to credit the creator.
  • Some licenses may restrict modifications or commercial use. Make sure to follow these terms.
  • You can find CC-licensed works on platforms like Flickr, Wikimedia Commons, or Creative Commons Search.
Example

Dr. Patel is a researcher studying the effects of air pollution on respiratory diseases. They find a graph depicting global air quality trends that is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. 

Before using the graph, Dr. Patel checks the license terms and confirms that they can use and modify the content as long as they provide proper attribution. In their paper, they includes the following citation:
Global Air Quality Trends, by Environmental Health Organization, licensed under CC BY 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons.

Recommended resources:

McCarthy, R. (2024). Creative Commons, Explained.

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