Plagiarism+and+Copyright


 * This is a guide to library expectations for copyright, plagiarism, fair use, and evaluation of sources.**

**//Copyright//- Copyright is a legal protection which identifies exclusive ownership of a created work. The creator has exclusive rights to his/her own work. If you copy someone elses work and submit it as your own work, you are breaking the law.** **Visit the Copyright Website Learn all about the laws** **Copyright Definition and Quiz How well do you understand copyright?-**

**//Fair Use//-Fair use is a legal concept that limits the exclusive rights of the holder of the copyright. The concept of fair use was created to acknowledge the necessity for teachers and students to continually examine other people's ideas and works in discussions, reports, and assignments. However, fair use does not ignore copyright law. It is still necessary to cite other people's ideas and creative work. Fair use is determined by examining the purpose, nature of the work, amount, and effect on market.** **Fair Use Law** // **Plagiarism-Plagiarism is using someone elses words or ideas without acknowledging (citing) the source of the information.** // // **OWL Tutorial** // // See Citation Help on the menu bar of this wiki to see how easy it is to comply with the law. You will find some great links there that just require you to fill in the information and the website will create the citation for you. It couldn't be easier! //

// **Evaluation of Sources** //

__Remember Anyone can put anything on the Internet.__

Do not take information for granted just because it is published on the Internet. There is an extremely wide variation in the quality of information available. Urban legends begin when inaccurate information is accepted without question and distributed to others.

__Find out the source of the information.__

This is not very hard to do if the site is written by an authority on the subject, or sponsored by a legitimate group, school, agency, or organization. Be wary of sites that do not clearly state the source of the information.

__Find out the timeliness of the information.__

Is the site regularly updated? How old is the information?

__Verify the accuracy of the information.__ Is the information also available in a printed source? Do other information sources agree with the information on the site you are using?