There are a number of things to consider when writing a good summary without violating copyright. For example, you are not allowed to copy texts literally but you are allowed to quote them. You must make correct citations when doing this.

There are several ways to cite sources, as long as the source and author are mentioned. The most commonly used method is the APA method.

Would you like to be sure that you meet the copyright requirements? Stuvia has a helpful checklist for just that, which can be found here.

Plagiarism is the copying of ideas from others without referring to the source. As soon as someone literally copies something without referring to the original copyrighted work, plagiarism has been committed.

You can prevent plagiarism by describing a text in your own words. There should be sufficient differences between the original text and your work; adjusting a few words in a paragraph is not enough. A tip to avoid plagiarism: read the original text carefully until you understand it, put it away and then write your own version.

If you want to be sure you are not plagiarising, make sure you are [*link*]citing[*end-link*] or [*link*]paraphrasing[*end-link*] a text the right way and refer to the source according to the rules .

It is very easy to download images from the internet. However, this does not mean that you can use it as easily. Due to copyright laws, you are required to request permission from the creator of the image to use it.

An exception to this is if the creator has indicated what the image can and cannot be used for and whether requesting permission or indicating the source is necessary. The rules set by the creator must be adhered to. A creator can choose between a number of options, including “should not be used commercially” and “may only be used with acknowledgment of the source”.

When citing a piece, you literally present what someone has said or written. This is permitted, provided you clearly state that it is a quote. This is done by enclosing the quoted text in quotation marks. You are always obligated to state the source and name of the author. When citing from a book, you must also include the page number. If you meet these requirements, you do not need to request the author’s permission to quote the text.

Citations are only allowed to reference published work. If a piece is not yet published, the author’s permission is required. In addition, a citation needs to clearly state that what you have cited is limited to a portion of the entire publication. It is not permitted to cite a whole chapter of a book.

Images are also subject to citation regulations. You can only cite an image if it is necessary to clarify the explanation or description in your text. The source must be referenced. If the use of the image is purely for the aesthetics and not a required part of an explanation, you must ask for the author’s permission to use it.

Paraphrasing is expressing what someone has said or written in your own words. This can be done if an original text is difficult to use or to render a more compact summary, for example. When paraphrasing you preserve your own writing style and make the piece easier to read. You will, of course, need to reference the source of the original text by at least mentioning the author’s name and the year of publication. In contrast to quoting, you do not need to mention the page number when paraphrasing from a book.

In general, it is permitted to place a hyperlink to copyrighted work. After all, a hyperlink is simply a clickable reference and referencing copyrighted work is encouraged.

There are a few preconditions. For example, the content to which the link leads must be freely accessible to everyone, such as a public web page. The content’s origin must also be legal and not falsified or incorrectly copied from others.

A hyperlink can be an embedded link, like when sharing a YouTube video on your own page. However, you can not first download the video and subsequently upload it on your own page without including a reference. That would be reproducing and sharing the content, which goes against the copyright laws.

Would you like to ensure that your study materials follow the copyright laws?

Use this helpful checklist with tips.

• All the sources are formulated according to APA guidelines;
• The sources of the original text(s) are stated in the document;
• The text of your document is written in your own words;
• Citations have been quoted correctly;
• Copied text has been paraphrased appropriately;
• Facts are stated in your own words with the correct source reference;
• The source(s) are clear and legible;
• There are no tables, images and/or figures without citations in your text;
• Please note that in the end, you are always legally responsible for the content of the study materials you share through Stuvia.