BIO 300: Microbiology

Copyright is the protection provided by U.S. law for authors of “original works of authorship” once the work is in a fixed and tangible form. A work is fixed when it is in a permanent form that can be “perceived, reproduced, or communicated for more than a short time.” 

A "work" is the copyright law term for any creation that may be protected by copyright. It could be a work of art, a literary work like a novel or journal article, a musical work, etc. If you create something, you own the copyright automatically, no need to register. 

Copyright provides the copyright holder with exclusive rights to reproduce, create derivative works, distribute copies to the public for sale, rental, lease, or lending, perform or display the work publicly. 

For works created on or after January 1, 1978 copyright lasts the life of the author plus seventy years after the death of the author. Works made for hire or anonymous works copyright last ninety-five years from publication or one hundred and twenty years from creation, whichever is less.

A license is a legal statement of who and under what circumstances a work can be used or reproduced. Sometimes you have to pay for a license, which gives specific use permissions. This can be a complex legal document, or it can be as simple as a short statement specifying that anyone is welcome to reuse your work. Creative Commons licenses are an easy way to specify how your work can be used.

If you need to use a specific image or other work that is copyrighted in a presentation or assignment, you can do so only if your work (which contains this copyrighted work) is not published or distributed publicly, and is for educational purposes. And, you must include a full citation for where you found the image (the book, newspaper or web article, artist website, etc.). 

Fair use outlines exceptions to copyright including use for for criticism, comment, parody, news reporting, teaching, scholarship or research. This page, like other pages on the library's website, is not a substitute for legal advice. These tips can help you decide if your use would be considered a fair use exception to copyright. Copyright requirements can be confusing, and sometimes there are gray areas. It's usually best to play it safe, or ask your instructor if you're not sure. 

✅ Okay (probably):

• Using a copyrighted image in a presentation that you will only present to your class: Since this is an educational setting with limited access, this is considered educational use. Remember to cite the source. Make sure not to post your presentation publicly or you might get in trouble with the copyright holder. 
• Including a copyrighted figure/image in a paper that you are turning in to your professor: Turning in your paper is not the same as publishing it, so this is educational use. If you wanted to publish your paper in an undergraduate journal, you would need to get permission from the copyright holder before reproducing the copyrighted work. 

🚫 Not Okay:

• Including a copyrighted image in an assignment to create a social media post, which you don't plan to actually post: While this doesn't technically violate copyright, if your instructor asked you to use content that can be posted on social media, this won't fit those requirements. 
• Using copyrighted images in a presentation or assignment that you include in an online portfolio: This may have been fair use when you presented it in class, but posting copyrighted content online violates copyright. You may need to remove the copyrighted material first or choose different images. 

This checklist from Columbia University takes a closer look at what is and is not allowed by Fair Use: 

Looking for an image to use in a presentation, social media post, or other assignment? Most images are copyrighted by the creator or owner (photographer, artist, a company, etc.), so you can’t use them without formal permission.

The easiest way to find photos you are allowed to post is to use images you created, or to look for pictures under a Creative Commons License or that are public domain. Try these popular sites for free to use stock photos and images:

Note: Be sure to check the license type for the images you choose. If the license requires “Attribution,” you’ll need to note the creator/owner of the image when you use it. If you are not sure if you can use an image, you can ask a librarian for help.