Research papers and projects will often require you to use a variety of different types of sources. Once you have found sources on your topic, it's essential to understand the types of information a source provides to you and how to use the source ethically and according to its copyright license. This FAQ is designed to help you think and learn about the considerations associated with using a source.
NOTE: The information in this guide and associated links are intended for informational purposes. The information presented by the Library about copyright should not be construed as legal advice. While we cannot provide legal advice, we can help explain these issues in greater detail.
A: Each of your sources must help you address/answer your research question in some way. A general way to categorize these types of information is by considering if a source provides
What type of information does your source provide infographic description (text document)
A: Citing a source or providing attribution is the first step in using a source ethically and appropriately. The second step is to determine if there is a license that dictates if and how a work can be used. Below are common types of licenses that provide instructions on if and how work may be used.
A: When you cite a source in your research papers that your instructor reads, you are providing attribution, which distinguishes your voice from the thoughts and ideas of another. This is sufficient for these types of assignments and prevents acts of plagiarism.
When you use a source that has the potential to be viewed publicly, like adding it to an online repository, you need to also use the source according to its license. This could mean it's protected by Copyright, have special use instructions through a Creative Commons license, or be in the Public Domain.
A: To use a source appropriately:
If you have questions about obtaining copyright permission, please get in touch with scholcomm@ucsd.edu.
A: Fair Use is a phrase used to describe limitations to Copyright. It allows individuals to use copyrighted work if the use meets specific requirements. Fair Use makes it possible for instructors and institutions like libraries to share copyrighted work for educational purposes.
Learn more about the limitations of Fair Use to determine if the limitations would work for your needs.
Still unsure? Review the Can I Use It decision tree (illustrated PDF).
A: Copyright law protects the rights holders’ interests in their creative works, while privacy rights protect the interests of people who are the subjects of those works.
Privacy rights arise most often if you are seeking to use primary source materials like correspondence and diaries, and also oral histories or pictures of particular people. When we’re talking about privacy, several federal laws protect against disclosure of various types of personal information. You might have heard about laws like FERPA, which protects student information, and HIPAA, which protects health information. There are also state laws governing privacy.
Some considerations regarding whether or not the content you would like to use should be considered private information are:
Getting Permission
If the subject of the information has given you permission; for example, given their OK to publish a photo, then it’s going to be hard for them to claim a privacy violation down the road, at least for your use. That is why we have people sign agreements; in the case of an oral history, you’d get both the interviewee and the interviewer to sign an agreement where they understand your project is going in an open-access digital collection and they are OK with it.
A: Open Access is a publishing and distribution model that provides free, unrestricted access to scholarship and research outputs. There are several open-access search tools you can use to look for sources.
