Use of copyrighted material
Copyright means there are limits to how a user can quote and copy material from books and online sources. Published texts may be used, as long as they are quoted and referenced correctly.
Images, music and film footage are different from texts when it comes to copyright.
For this reason, you are advised to ask permission from the rights holder when you need to use an image in your work. Exceptions include the Creative Commons licenses.
Making copies as a student
- Students are allowed to copy material for use in teaching. The copied material may be distributed within a teaching group at a university or similar institution, for example between student and teacher, or within a class. Dissemination can be digital or analogue.
- As a student, you are allowed to make copies according to the 15/15 rule. This states you may copy a maximum of 15 percent from a printed source, up to 15 pages. Meaning out of a 60-page book, you can freely copy 9 pages. From a digital source you can copy up to 15 A4 pages.
Using online images
One way to find images to use without asking permission, i.e. images with a Creative Commons licence, is to browse sites such as:
Using materials via the e-resources of the university library
You can use and refer to the resources available through the website of the university library. The selection of resources is made to give you some measure of certainty that they ensure good quality.
As a student at the University of Gothenburg, you may download and print individual articles and chapters for your own use. However, you may not copy or distribute copyrighted material to just anyone.
For e-books, terms and conditions differ a lot between individual publishers.