Copyright and Intellectual Property

Preparing a project for publication (in print or online) can be both exciting and a little daunting. As permissions can be tangled and difficult, requiring attention to detail and even a little detective work, we always advise that authors (or other creators) start early and document everything. Your future self (and your publisher) will be grateful that you did.

Use our Copyright Review Workbook to help keep track of any content you may wish to reuse. Especially when it comes to images you find online, keeping track of where and when you found an item can be a game changer, saving you from having to retrace your research steps.

The permissions review, requesting, and receiving process can take time and resources. As you examine third-party content you wish to use in your project with an eye toward rights rights status, you may find that you have items or material for which you need to seek permission or a license. We strongly encourage you to prioritize this analysis as you work on your project. Talk to stakeholders (e.g. manuscript editor, project manager, website owner, etc) early and often to get on the same page regarding copyright, fair use, risk assessment, and "house rules" that might cause delays or backtracking at the time of publication.

*Adapted in part from Cornell University Press Copyright and Permissions Guidelines

 "Copyright Services" by Cornell University Library licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. 

Need to seek permission to re-use copyrighted materials? 

 "Copyright and Intellectual Property Toolkit" by University of Pittsburg Library System licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. 

To request re-use of a journal article or material (such as figures or images) in a journal article, you most often need to request permission from the publisher. Most journal articles have a link on the abstract page that says "Get rights and content" (or similar). See the example image on the left for where this link is typically located.

Clicking this link will take you to a Copyright Clearance Center page where you can input some basic information. This form will generate a price for your re-use and a license statement that you can print out or save for your records. 

You can also watch the video below, which is directed at graduate students working on their ETDs, but which shows the general process for requesting rights and permission.

 "Copyright and Intellectual Property Toolkit" by University of Pittsburg Library System licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. 

Follow the steps for journal articles above for the book in question; however, it is less likely that there will be such a link on a publisher's website for this kind of permissions request. If you do not see a link to "Get Rights and Permissions" on a book's website, then look on the publisher's website for information about "Rights and Permissions". This may be filed under headings like "Customer Service" or even "Terms of Use". Usually there will be a form to fill out and e-mail; occasionally there will be only a phone number or an individual's name to contact. 

Here is an example of a Rights and Permissions page from the publisher John Benjamins. If you need help finding this information for another publisher, Ask Us! 

 "Copyright and Intellectual Property Toolkit" by University of Pittsburg Library System licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. 

It is a common, but incorrect, practice to re-use images found online in journal articles, papers, presentations, and theses. The best practice is to assume, always, that images are subject to copyright and that permission should be gained before using them. Never fear - many images do not need this level of work. Many images are licensed under a Creative Commons license that allows you to re-use them with attribution without asking permission. 

 "Copyright and Intellectual Property Toolkit" by University of Pittsburg Library System licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.