Citing & Copyright
Citing Sources & Copyright:
Fair Use & Creative Commons
Just because you can see or hear something for free doesn't mean you can use it for free.
Contact your friendly librarian with questions about this very important topic!
Citing Sources
You should always give credit so both respect the work of others and are responsible in showing what your thinking and learning is based upon.
Title, Author, Source (minimum citation)
Example of giving credit to a Creative Commons Source:
Copyright: Fair Use
Fair Use of otherwise copyrighted media is guided by the "Fair Use" section of US Copyright law and explains how someone can reuse copyrighted content to create a new work with new meaning. These new works of art often use short pieces of the original work in a new context, to critique, etc. Here is the the Digital Media Law Project's detailed explanation of the Four Factors to consider if your intended reuse of media is protected under "Fair Use."
Additional Resources:
Succinct explanation of Copyright-FairUse (for teachers and older students)
The Center for Media and Social Impact’s Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Online Video
The video below, "A Fair(y) Use Tale," which uses otherwise copyrighted content (Disney videos) to create a new work of art: a video explaining Fair Use and Copyright.
Copyright: Creative Commons
Creative Commons provides content creators with free, easy-to-use copyright licenses that standardize how others may share and use the creative work. When using Creative Commons licensed work, it is best practice to always give credit/attribution for these resources.