4 Copyright and creative commons

The internet offers exciting possibilities to find, use and remix all sorts of media, for example, images, videos or music. In Week 4 you found out how you can use Creative Commons to protect your own and other people’s rights when creating, sharing and re-using online material in public spaces.

Knowing how to find and use freely available resources licensed under Creative Commons will enhance your study by enabling you to introduce a wider range of information and media into assignments and projects, safe in the knowledge that you are staying within the law. As you become more confident in creating your own digital content, Creative Commons licences provide an easy way to let everyone know you are happy for them to use your work. It is also a way of making others (including employers) aware of the knowledge and skills you have gained as a result of study.

For study

Getting in the habit of acknowledging others’ work is very good preparation for academic writing. When you make clear reference to the sources you have used, you are signalling clearly what you have based your arguments on. Readers of your work can follow up these sources for themselves as they engage with your writing. Good referencing also helps you to avoid plagiarism. Plagiarism is when you use the work of other people to gain some form of benefit (for example, a good essay grade) without formally acknowledging that the work came from someone else. It does not just occur in academic assignments. It may happen when you pass on information in online forums or other social networking sites without acknowledging where it came from.

In Week 4, you learned how to use the work of other people safely. The following activity is an opportunity for you to reflect on how this skill might help you.