Embedded Files
Copyright and Open Licensing
Copyright and Open Licensing
Use Educational Resources Responsibly
Use Educational Resources Responsibly
Understanding copyright and licensing is essential when finding, using, adapting, or sharing educational materials.
Not every resource available online can be freely copied, modified, or redistributed. Before using a resource, identify the permissions granted by its creator or rights holder.
What Is an Open License?
What Is an Open License?
An open license is a legal instrument that grants the public permission to use a work under specified conditions. Creative Commons licenses are commonly used for educational and creative materials.
Common Creative Commons Licenses
Common Creative Commons Licenses
CC0 — Public Domain Dedication
Allows reuse without requiring copyright permission to the extent permitted by the applicable law. Providing credit remains good scholarly practice.
CC BY — Attribution
Allows reuse, adaptation, and redistribution, including commercially, provided appropriate credit is given and other license conditions are followed.
CC BY-SA — Attribution-ShareAlike
Allows reuse and adaptation with attribution. Adapted material must be distributed under the same or a compatible license.
CC BY-NC — Attribution-NonCommercial
Allows reuse and adaptation for noncommercial purposes, subject to the license conditions.
CC BY-ND — Attribution-NoDerivatives
Allows redistribution, including commercially, provided the material is not distributed in adapted form.
CC BY-NC-SA — Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
Allows noncommercial reuse and adaptation with attribution and the applicable ShareAlike requirement.
CC BY-NC-ND — Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives
Allows noncommercial redistribution with attribution, but does not permit distributing adapted versions.
How to Attribute a Resource
How to Attribute a Resource
When a license requires attribution, provide appropriate credit to the original creator, identify the source, link to the license where applicable, and indicate whether changes were made.
A practical attribution format is:
Title — Author — Source — License — Changes
Example:
"[Resource Title]" by [Author Name], available at [Source URL], licensed under [License Name]. [Describe any changes made, if applicable.]
Use the actual title, creator, source, license, and change statement for each resource. Do not assume that all materials use a Creative Commons license.
Before Reusing or Sharing a Resource
Before Reusing or Sharing a Resource
Identify the copyright holder or original creator.
Verify the license from the original source.
Check whether the intended use, adaptation, and redistribution are permitted.
Follow the attribution requirements.
Check whether images, figures, datasets, or other components have separate rights.
Retain the original source and license information for reference.
Important Considerations
Important Considerations
Free access does not automatically grant permission to reproduce or adapt a resource.
Some licenses restrict commercial use or the distribution of adapted materials.
A resource may contain third-party content that is not covered by its main license.
Copyright exceptions and limitations may vary by jurisdiction.
For further information, visit Creative Commons — About CC Licenses and Creative Commons — Recommended Practices for Attribution.
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