Copyright applies when:
- you download or print material from a database or website
- you scan or photocopy books, articles or other materials
- you use extracts of others people in your own work, eg when writing a paper or giving a presentation.
You can use copyright materials:
- if the amount would be considered an insubstantial excerpt
- for personal research or study ( see Fair Use provisions)
- you can copy 10% or 1 chapter of a book, or
- one article from an edition of a journal
- for educational purposes
- eg taking a screenshot or photo of a webpage to study it later
- copyright has expired or been waived
- creators may allow usage through a Creative Commons licence. Some conditions may still apply.
- you must still attribute/cite the source
- if you have the copyright holders permission
- for personal use, if you abide by the personal use provisions
- to assist a person with a disability
- for criticism or review
- to give professional advice
You can not:
- reproduce or distribute copyright materials without permission. This includes:
- posting material on websites
- emailing documents to others
- distributing copies of material
- use materials without attribution
More information
Australian Copyright Council - an introduction to copyright in Australia
Australian Copyright Council - Researchers
Melbourne Health - Copyright Procedure (Policy Number MH13.07)