Your copyright resources, October 2023

We hope you are settling well into the new academic year.

The copyright mailbox is always buzzing at the start of term. As ever, the questions we receive are varied and often fascinating. From using copies of old paintings in exhibitions to playing computer games in neuroscience experiements to tracing rights owners for films, and from negotating publishing agreements to licensing research data to establishing good practice in collaborative projects, the questions we address reflect the diverse research, teaching and creative activities that take place at UCL. More often than not, simple queries open up broader discussions. What is the place of copyright in the creative process? What aspects of copyright can be used to open up knowledge? Where does copyright sit in the broader context of research integrity?

Copyright – the exclusive right to copy, share and reuse a creative work -is a large part of pretty much every UCL activity. Books and articles, dissertations and presentation slides, teaching resources and websites, social media posts and computer programmes, images, film, photos and datasets may all be protected by copyright. Understanding what this means both when you use others’ works and creating your own can help you make decisions that benefit your research, your learning and your teaching.

We are starting the year with quite a few new copyright resources, suitable for those new to copyright and those who would like more specific advice.

Getting started 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can:

• Complete a 2-minute questionnaire to rate your copyright confidence and tell the UCL copyright support service what resources you need.
• Complete an introductory 20-minute tutorial at your own pace, online. An opportunity to learn – or revisit – the basics, including works covered by copyright, permissions, ‘fair dealing’ and licences.
• Join us for a training session, online or face-to-face. Current sessions run for postgrdauate students, researchers and teaching staff. There are also sessions on specific topics (open licences, publishing agreements). If you are not able to make a session or would like advice on a different topic, please contact us to arrange one for your department or research group.

Further resources

• Visit the UCL copyright website for guidance on various copyright-related topics. New pages include copyright for your research publications, copyright for research data and software and guidance on the use of images.
• If you teach, this micro-CPD on UCL Arena offers some tips on encouraging good practice among your students.

Further support

• If you have a specific question, please email copyright@ucl.ac.uk.
• You can also book an appointment (online or face-to-face) via the copyright booking service.
• Subscribe to this blog for updates and topical discussions, including ones on copyright for AI-generated works.