Copyright
What is copyright?
The creator of a publication is the owner of the ideas put forward in this publication. He holds the intellectual property rights and the right to disseminate these ideas: this is what is known as copyright.
Copyright is is a legal right created by the law of a country that grants the creator of an original work exclusive rights for its use and distribution. This is usually only for a limited time. The exclusive rights are not absolute but limited by limitations and exceptions to copyright law, including fair use.
(Source: Wikipedia, 11 November 2015)
What is permitted? What is not?
You must respect the creator’s rights. Therefore, if you wish to use someone else’s ideas, you need to have permission to do so.
However, you need not always ask. Sometimes, permission is automatically granted if you clearly indicate who the idea or thought belongs to. For example:
- you are permitted to incorporate short sections of other texts into your own text: Quoting.
- you are permitted repeat sections of other texts in your own words and use these in your text: Paraphrasing
- more and more authors are making their material freely available: see Nice to know: Creative Commons.
Images
NB: Copyright also applies to images. You are not permitted to just use images belonging to other people. To use images you must have the creator’s permission. In addition, you must cite the source.
Sanctions
If you violate someone else’s copyright, for example by failing to cite the source, you risk your report being rejected.
If you act as if you yourself thought up something even though the text is actually by someone else, you commit plagiarism. This is an offence. Here too, sanctions apply.
See also Plagiarism.
Your own copyright?
If you have published a text written by yourself, you own the copyright of this text. Others may use your text, but only under specific conditions.
You will automatically hold the copyright when your text is published. Your name must be clearly stated in the text, but the use of the copyright symbol © is not obligatory.
See also Nice to know: Rights (and obligations) of authors.
