1. LEARN TO CITE! Let’s get it right!
What is Copyright? By Becca Weldon and Katie Afman
Copyright gives you the rights to What is a Citation?
something you have created A citation is a quotation from If I am unsure how to cite or
including “literary, dramatic, or a reference to any kind of have questions about citing,
musical, artistic, and other book, paper, or author. what should I do?
intellectual works.” For the most
par, it is illegal for anyone to use If you have any questions
something you have created Why do I need to cite about copyright and/ or fair
without your permission. sources? use there are a few websites
Whenever you use someone you can go to as a guide:
What is Fair Use? else’s intellectual or creative
Fair Use is the conditions under ”property,” you need to provide The U.S. Copyright Office
which you can use material that is a proper citation for your http://www.copyright.gov
copyrighted by someone else source. There are two main Copyright Kids
without paying for it. In other reasons, (1) to give credit to http://www.copyrightkids.org
words fair use allows you to use a the author or creator and (2) to Copyright Clearance Center
limited amount of copyrighted enable your reader to locate http://www.copyright.com
material for your educational use. the sources you have cited.
What happens if I use other people’s work and do not cite?
Will I get in trouble?
What can I do? It is a federal crime to use other people’s work and it breaks
I can copy a passage but I must use quotes copyright laws.
and/or record where I got my information
from. I could face a lawsuit and have to pay the copyright owner, as well
as pay statutory damages, and criminal penalties.
I can use someone else’s work but must get RESOURCES:
their permission first and cite anything I use.
Copyright Kids.
Copyright kids. (2012, May 22). Retrieved from
http://www.copyrightkids.org/
What can’t I do? Cyberbee
I can’t pretend someone else’s ideas are my Joseph, L.C. (2012, May 21). Cyberbee. Retrieved from
own or copy someone else's words without http://www.cyberbee.com/copyrt.html
their permission.
U.S. Copyright Office
U.S. copyright office (2012, May 21). Retrieved from
I can’t use a citation improperly or cite a http://www.copyright.gov
source that I didn’t even read.
http://www.creativecommons.org