Copyright & Plagiarism
Copyright
Copyright is the legal protection for authors or creators against the unauthorised copying of their work and is based on 'The Copyright Act 1968' (as amended). Most expressions of creative intellectual endeavour are automatically protected by copyright.
The copyright symbol is not required, but is often used to help remind people that the work is protected (for example © Ben Harper 2004).
Copyright protects a variety of material, including:
- literary works e.g. texts, reports, journal articles, software, computer programs
- dramatic works, artistic works, musical works, films, sound recordings, broadcasts.
How does © apply to me?
Copying for research or study purposes is permitted and is known as 'fair dealing'. This allows a person to copy limited portions of a copyright-protected work for purposes of research or study. Under this provision, it is considered fair to copy:
- one chapter of a book, or up to 10 per cent of the number of pages
- one chapter or 10 per cent of the number of words for text material in electronic form
- one article from an issue of a serial or newspaper - or more than one article if each article relates to the same subject matter.
Material on the internet is also protected by copyright, so you need to check for permission statements.
For example, if a website includes pdf, print or email icons, you could assume that you have the copyright owner's authorisation to print/download material.
'Fair dealing' for research and study purposes may also apply. For more information you can also refer to the "Commonwealth of Australia Copyright Act" or link into the Plagiarism, Copyright and Intellectual Property.
Plagiarism
Copyright infringement is not the same as plagiarism. Copyright infringement can occur wherever any substantial amount of copyright-protected work is used without permission, even if the source is acknowledged.
However, plagiarism involves passing off another person's ideas or expression as your own. Plagiarism includes unintentional copying without acknowledgment, as well as the more deliberate and deceitful copying of the work of others.
Students should note that the following actions are acts of plagiarism:
- copying paragraphs, sentences, a single sentence or significant parts of a sentence directly, without quotation marks and appropriate citation
- paraphrasing or summarising direct quotations, without acknowledging the source within the text
- developing an idea that appears elsewhere, without making reference to the source of that idea.
Plagiarism can be avoided by adequately referencing your material.
To help you understand and avoid plagiarism during your studies at Southbank Institute, we recommend the 'Guide to Writing Assignments and Referencing', $5.50. It is available from the Client Service Centre.
Further clarification on copyright and plagiarism issues is available from your librarian.
Last updated 27 August, 2008