This guide has been retired and replaced.
Please visit the updated Copyright Guide at https://libguides.unco.edu/copyright
If you wish to reproduce and/or distribute copyrighted materials for study, research or personal use, you should have a basic understanding of U.S. Copyright Law. In order to assist you in understanding your rights and responsibilities related to copyrighted materials, students can also review the University Libraries' Copyright Basics page.
You must keep in mind that U.S. Copyright Law applies to all forms of technology and that it is your responsibility to secure permission from the copyright holder if necessary.
Plagiarism is defined as "the act of attempting to pass another's words or ideas off as one's own." Plagiarism is considered an ethical offense and can damage your academic reputation and lead to disciplinary action by the University. You should refer to the Student Code of Conduct to review the University's expectations with regard to plagiarism.
UNC faculty have access to SafeAssign, a plagiarism detection tool which can verify plagiarism in student's papers.
Additional Resources:
Copyright infringement occurs when substantial portions of another's work are reproduced, performed or distributed, without permission from the copyright holder, in a manner that violates one or more of the original copyright owner’s exclusive rights, whether or not the copyright holder is cited.
Copyright law does identify exceptions which may allow for reproducing another's work, such as Fair Use. Exceptions are commonly considered for educational purposes and allow for limited use of another's work without permission.
You hold copyright to your work as the author. This includes works created as an assignment for a course. Instructors who wish to use or publish your work, upload it to a website or share it for a class, must get your permission.
The same laws and penalties that apply to making illegal copies in the library or anywhere else apply to materials found on the Internet. While many web pages and other Internet resources are freely accessible, they are usually still protected by copyright. You may need to seek permission to use these resources even though they are available via Internet sources.
There are many sites that offer free or close-to-free materials. This list of a few was compiled by the Educause. These sites can offer a good alternative to copyrighted materials that need to have permission given for use.
The most common copyright-infringing activity on the Internet is sharing music, movies, or software. Individuals who use the University's Internet service to download or upload music, movies, or other unauthorized materials face legal consequences.
Review these additional links on the University Libraries' Copyright website for more information on obtaining and sharing music, movies or software.
