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Detailed steps on avoiding plagiarism. This website also offers a plagiarism checker and assistance in citing sources. VERY USEFUL!

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In a research paper, you have to come up with your own original ideas while at the same time making reference to work that's already been done by others. But how can you tell where their ideas end and your own begin? What's the proper way to integrate sources in your paper? If you change some of what an author said, do you still have to cite that author?

Confusion about the answers to these questions often leads to plagiarism. If you have similar questions or are concerned about preventing plagiarism, we recommend using the checklist below.

Planning Your Paper

Consult with Your Instructor

Have questions about plagiarism? If you can't find the answers on our site or are unsure about something, you should ask your instructor. He or she will most likely be very happy to answer your questions. You can also check out the guidelines for citing sources properly. If you follow them and the rest of the advice on this page, you should have no problems with plagiarism.

Plan Your Paper

Planning your paper well is the first and most important step you can take toward preventing plagiarism. If you know you are going to use other sources of information, you need to plan how you are going to include them in your paper. This means working out a balance between the ideas you have taken from other sources and your own, original ideas. Writing an outline or coming up with a thesis statement in which you clearly formulate an argument about the information you find will help establish the boundaries between your ideas and those of your sources.

Take Effective Notes

One of the best ways to prepare for a research paper is by taking thorough notes from all of your sources so that you have much of the information organized before you begin writing. On the other hand, poor note-taking can lead to many problems-- including improper citations and misquotations, both of which are forms of plagiarism! To avoid confusion about your sources, try using different colored fonts, pens, or pencils for each one, and make sure you clearly distinguish your own ideas from those you found elsewhere. Also, get in the habit of marking page numbers, and make sure that you record bibliographic information or web addresses for every source right away-- finding them again later when you are trying to finish your paper can be a nightmare!

Writing Your Paper

When in Doubt, Cite Sources

Of course you want to get credit for your own ideas. And, you don't want your instructor to think that you got all of your information from somewhere else. But if it is unclear whether an idea in your paper really came from you, or whether you got it from somewhere else and just changed it a little, you should always cite your source. Instead of weakening your paper and making it seem like you have fewer original ideas, this will actually strengthen your paper by:

showing that you are not just copying other ideas but are processing and adding to them,

lending outside support to the ideas that are completely yours, and

highlighting the originality of your ideas by making clear distinctions between them and ideas you have gotten elsewhere

Also see: how to cite sources properly

Make it Clear Who Said What

Even if you cite sources, ambiguity in your phrasing can often disguise the real source of any given idea, causing inadvertent plagiarism. Make sure when you mix your own ideas with those of your sources that you always clearly distinguish them. If you are discussing the ideas of more than one person, watch out for confusing pronouns. For example, imagine you are talking about Harold Bloom's discussion of James Joyce's opinion of Shakespeare, and you write: "He brilliantly portrayed the situation of a writer in society at that time." Who is the "He" in this sentence? Bloom, Joyce, or Shakespeare? Who is the "writer": Joyce, Shakespeare, or one of their characters? Always make sure to distinguish who said what, and give credit to the right person.

Know How to Paraphrase

A paraphrase is a restatement in your own words of someone else's ideas. Changing a few words of the original sentences does NOT make your writing a legitimate paraphrase. You must change both the words and the sentence structure of the original, without changing the content. Also, you should keep in mind that paraphrased passages still require citation because the ideas came from another source, even though you are putting them in your own words.

The purpose of paraphrasing is not to make it seem like you are drawing less directly from other sources or to reduce the number of quotations in your paper. It is a common misconception among students that you need to hide the fact that you rely on other sources. Actually it is advantageous to highlight the fact that other sources support your own ideas. Using quality sources to support your ideas makes them seem stronger and more valid. Good paraphrasing makes the ideas of the original source fit smoothly into your paper, emphasizing the most relevant points and leaving out unrelated information.

Learn how to paraphrase properly.

Analyze and Evaluate Your Sources

Not all sources on the web are worth citing-- in fact, many of them are just plain wrong. So how do you tell the good ones apart? For starters, make sure you know the author(s) of the page, where they got their information, and when they wrote it (getting this information is also an important step in avoiding plagiarism!). Then you should determine how credible you feel the source is: how well they support their ideas, the quality of the writing, the accuracy of the information provided, etc. We recommend using the "Web Page Evaluation Criteria" available through New Mexico State University's website.

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Preventing Plagiarism when Writing - Plagiarism.org

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In a research paper, you have to come up with your own original ideas while at the same time making reference to work that's already been done by others. But how can you tell where their ideas end and your own begin? What's the proper way to integrate sources in your paper?

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Pinterest Board - Plagiarism in Elementary School 

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Pinterest Board - Plagiarism in Elementary School 

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Find and save recipes, parenting hacks, style inspiration and other ideas to try.

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This read-along will help students better understand what plagiarism is through the use of an example and deep discussion of the word.

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Chris just found some good stuff on the Web for his science report about sharks. He highlights a paragraph that explains that most sharks grow to be only 3 to 4 feet long and can't hurt people. Chris copies it and pastes it into his report. He quickly changes the font so it matches the rest of the report and continues his research.

Uh-oh. Chris just made a big mistake. Do you know what he did? He committed plagiarism (say: PLAY-juh-rih-zem). Plagiarism is when you use someone else's words or ideas and pass them off as your own. It's not allowed in school, college, or beyond, so it's a good idea to learn the proper way to use resources, such as websites, books, and magazines.

Plagiarism is a form of cheating, but it's a little complicated so a kid might do it without understanding that it's wrong. Chris should have given the author and the website credit for the information. Why? Because Chris didn't know this information before he came to the website. These aren't his thoughts or ideas.

Plagiarism Steals Ideas

The word plagiarism comes from a Latin word for kidnapping. You know that kidnapping is stealing a person. Well, plagiarism is stealing a person's ideas or writing. You wouldn't take someone's lunch money or bike, right? Well, someone's words and thoughts are personal property, too.

What should Chris have done? He should have written down the name of the website and the name of the person who wrote the article. Then he could have added it and given credit to the source.

Teachers have different rules on how you list sources. Sometimes, you provide a list at the end of a report. Other times, a teacher might want you to list the source immediately after the information you took from that source. Or you might just make it part of the sentence (for example: "According to the National Institutes of Health, breathing secondhand smoke can cause problems for kids with asthma.").

All this shouldn't make you nervous to use websites, books, and other sources. It's great that you can get information from experts on stuff you don't know much about. You just have to make sure to show where the information came from. If you do that, you're in the clear.

It's not always easy to tell what's plagiarism and what's not. Sometimes, it's accidental - you really intended to do your own work, but instead ended up with some sentences that sound just like something you've read. You might not be doing it intentionally, but if you don't identify the original source, you're risking a lot of trouble.

So even if you put the information into your own words, you still should list the source. Ask yourself, "Would I know this if I hadn't read it on that website or in that book?" If the answer is no, list the source.

Plagiarism Is Lazy

Though plagiarism can be accidental, it's sometimes done on purpose and that's just being lazy. By copying whole paragraphs from different places, a kid doesn't have to spend the time thinking about the subject, gathering his or her own thoughts about it, and then putting it into original words. Cut, paste, and you're done.

But this is a shortcut that will probably catch up with a kid, even if he or she doesn't get caught for plagiarism. It's important for kids to be able to research a subject, think about it, and then come up with something interesting to say. This skill is important in elementary school, middle school, high school, college, and beyond. A kid who just lifts an entire report won't get the practice needed to become good at this.

Ask yourself, "Am I using this to avoid doing my own work? Is it easier just to copy this?" If the answer is yes, beware. You just might be plagiarizing.

What Happens if I Plagiarize?

Most schools are pretty strict about plagiarism. If you're caught, you can wind up suspended or worse. At the very least, you're probably going to fail the assignment. When you're older and in college, some schools will expel students who plagiarize. To be expelled means to be kicked out. And when you're kicked out of one college, it can be hard to get into another.

Also, when you apply for a job someday you want to be able to say, "I graduated from Supersmart University in 2020." You don't want to have to explain how Supersmart University kicked you out!

Avoiding Plagiarism

To be on the safe side, always make it clear where the information comes from. Your teacher will tell you how to do this. Sometimes, teachers ask kids to write a bibliography (say: bih-blee-OG-ruh-fee). That's a list of the sources you used for a project or report. To do that, you'll need to know the author, the title, and the date it was published. For instance, if you did a report on giraffes, you could give credit to an author this way:

Smith, Hazel B. "All About Giraffes." 2005.

But your most important guide on sourcing is your teacher. Different teachers will have different rules. If you're confused, ask questions to make sure you understand what your teacher expects. And if you write something really great about sharks or any other topic, maybe someday someone will be quoting you in a report!

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Chris just found some good stuff on the Web for his science report about sharks. He highlights a paragraph that explains that most sharks grow to be only 3 to 4 feet long and can't hurt people. Chris copies it and pastes it into his report.

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What we Can do to End Plagiarism in the Classroom

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What we Can do to End Plagiarism in the Classroom

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Plagiarism Checker | WriteCheck by Turnitin

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Plagiarism checkers are an effective way to inspect your papers for any red flags that may suggest plagiarism. This specialized software is available for those who are serious about their academic or research work. Plagiarism checker software like WriteCheck is available online. Do not take the chance of being accused of plagiarism.

There are five reasons to use a plagiarism checker; they are:

1. Although some people use Internet search engines to look for plagiarized material, plagiarism software can offer more sources, such as large databases that include periodicals and books that may not be available online. Thousands of periodicals exist. Massive databases such as EBSCOhost and ProQuest contain such articles. Plagiarism checkers have access to these databases.

2. Another one of the 5 reasons to use a plagiarism checker is that this software highlights the content that is exact. In other words, you can see for yourself what sentences or words are verbatim what the original author wrote.

3. Plagiarism detection software also gives percentages of similarity. Many universities use plagiarism software like Turnitin to check papers for plagiarism. When students and instructors use this software to check papers, a similarity percentage is given. A university will have a standard percentage rate that is acceptable to them. Students must remain at that percentage rate or lower for their papers to be satisfactory in regard to similarity.

4. Checking your paraphrasing abilities is another one of the 5 reasons to use a plagiarism checker. As stated above, a plagiarism checker will highlight the material that is an exact match to the original author's words. If you have not paraphrased properly, you will know it by the highlighted material. Use that information to reword and cite the text.

5. Plagiarism checker software offers you proof that you have not plagiarized. Printing out or saving an electronic copy of your plagiarism checker report can be proof to your instructor or university that your content is original. Some instructors will ask for a copy of this report, others will not. Keeping a copy for your records in either case can offer you protection.

The five reasons to use a plagiarism checker are valid and should be of importance to any student or researcher. Plagiarism has become a serious issue, with many students, academics and others being accused and punished. According to plagiarism.org, the Center for Academic Integrity reported that nearly 80% of students in college have admitted to cheating one or more times. Also, a survey of college students conducted by the Psychological Record found that 36% had plagiarized (Plagiarism.org, 2012). The technology exists to ensure your safety as a student or researcher. Take advantage of it.

The advent of the Internet has allowed plagiarism to become easier. It has also allowed plagiarism detection software to be developed. The 5 reasons to use a plagiarism checker listed above should be a guide to serious students and researchers who want to check themselves and ensure that they have proof that their papers are original.
Reference
Plagiarism.org. (2012). Facts about plagiarism, Retrieved from http://www.plagiarism.org
Related Graduate Student Talks About Value of Citing Correctly Types of Plagiarism Written by Beth Calvano

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Plagiarism checkers are an effective way to inspect your papers for any red flags that may suggest plagiarism. This specialized software is available for those who are serious about their academic or research work. Plagiarism checker software like WriteCheck is available online. Do not take

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On this site, you will find the top 10 websites for plagiarism detection. These sites are good for students to check their work and make sure they are not plagiarizing.

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Are you trying to discover the most effective free plagiarism detection tools? Plagiarism is a highly intolerable act in the literary and digital community; a practice that all reputable individuals and companies are trying to avoid. In this article, I'll present the top 10 free plagiarism detection tools that will help all eLearning professionals give credit where credit is due.

Top Free Plagiarism Detection Tools eLearning Professionals Should Have In Mind

Modern technology and the development of Internet have given us access to tons of information any time we desire it and from any place on the planet. Original ideas tend to become rarer and rarer. Everybody seems to be reproducing other people's ideas and presenting them as their own. Although this practice is not anything new, a lot of people might argue that nowadays it has reached its peak. In this article, I'll highlight the top 10 free plagiarism detection tools that will allow eLearning professionals to tackle the plagiarism nightmare.

This is one of the most effective free plagiarism detection tools on the Internet. While it doesn't have a fancy interface, it certainly gets the job done well.

Pros

Free Of Charge
You don't have to pay anything. Whether you are a one-time user or plan to make the most of this free plagiarism detection tool on a daily basis, you are not required to pay for subscription.

Ease Of Use
You are presented with a very basic, functional layout that does not require for any previous experience with plagiarism detection tools.

2 Ways To Check For Plagiarism
Duplichecker enables you to either copy and paste your text in the field and then check it for plagiarisms, or upload a Docx or Text file from your computer.

50 Plagiarism Scans Per Day For Registered Users
If you sign up for free, Duplichecker allows you to do 50 plagiarism checks in a single day.

Cons

Plans And Pricing

No paid version is available.

This cloud-based authentication platform enables you to track how eLearning content is being used all around the Internet.

Pros

For Education And Business
Different sections on the platform for educational and business purposes. The business section addresses to publishers and SEO agencies, while the education section to schools, students and universities.

Multiple File Formats And Languages
Copyleaks is able to scan content in various file formats and all Unicode languages.

Variety Of Tools
Copyleaks allows you to use the API tool to search for plagiarizedeLearning content all over the Internet. It also offers a mobile app along with an MS Office add-on, which you can use to check for plagiarisms as you are writing a document on MS Word.

Cons

You Can Use It Only After You Sign Up
Unfortunately, you need to create an account for free first, in order to search for plagiarized eLearning content.

Free Page Restriction
Only the first 10 pages are for free.

Plans And Pricing

A multi-purpose free plagiarism detection tool that is used in over 140 countries.

Pros

3 Tools In 1: Proofreader & Grammar Check, Vocabulary Builder, Plagiarism Checker
If you need to check your text for grammar mistakes, have it proofread with suggestions for different wording, or have it checked for plagiarism, this is the tool.

Developed By Industry Experts
Developed by a team of computational linguists and subject matter experts.

Fast Results
PaperRater boasts accurate results in seconds.

Cons

Plans And Pricing

Basic and easy-to-use, multi-purpose plagiarism detection tool that is used by students, teachers, writers, as well as various members of the literary industry.

Pros

190+ Languages Supported
There is virtually no language excluded from the list.

Plagiarism Check By URL, Online Or File Upload
Copy and Paste or Τype your text in the appropriate field, provide a URL, or upload a file from your computer. Supported file types include: TXT, HTML, RTF, DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX, PDF, ODT, EPUB, FB2, PDB.

Firefox And Chrome Extensions
Have your text quickly checked by downloading the add-ons.

Cons

Limited Plagiarism Checks Per Day
If you are looking for a tool for extensive use then look somewhere else. The free version has a limited number of plagiarism checks.

Plans And Pricing

User-friendly, entirely free plagiarism detection tool to check whether content is plagiarized.

Pros

Detailed Guidelines
One of the easiest to use free plagiarism detection tools due to its step-by-step approach on how to use it.

Check If Others Have Plagiarized Your Online Content
Click on the "For authors" option to check whether they have plagiarized your content and posted it on the Internet. You may also get a notification by email.

Entirely Online
No downloads required.

Cons

Supports Only Google Or Yahoo Browsers
If you are using none of those 2 browsers then you might want to look elsewhere

Plans And Pricing

Basic but fully functional free plagiarism detection tool with different levels of search.

Pros

Cons

Plans And Pricing

Plagiarism detection tool for both individuals and businesses that checks texts against online content, scientific journals and the user's documents as well.

Pros

Fully Online
No download required.

3 Ways To Do Plagiarism Checks
You can select from: a) directly pasting you text into the appropriate field, b) importing the file from the web by entering its URL at the indicated area, or uploading it from a cloud storage area such as Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive, c) uploading a file from your desktop.

No Subscriptions For Private Users
The user pays on-demand according to their respective needs.

Integration Features
Businesses can integrate Plagscan into several Content and Learning Management Systems (CMS/LMS).

Cons

Plans And Pricing

Fast free plagiarism detection tool that searches both websites and academic databases by copying and pasting text, or file uploading.

Pros

Addressing To Different User Groups
Students, teachers, publishers and site owners can take advantage of Plagtracker.

Detailed Reports
The user gets informed as to what parts need to be cited and a list of sources to be used.

6 Languages Supported
Check your eLearning content in English, French, Spanish, German, Romanian and Italian.

Cons

Plans And Pricing

Basic layout and functional interface that checks against the Internet, as well as various databases.

Pros

Cons

Plans And Pricing

Free of charge. No premium memberships. No subscriptions available.

A 3-step free plagiarism detection tool with user-friendly interface.

Pros

Cons

Plans And Pricing

No subscriptions available. Entirely free platform.

Plagiarism is no mild act in the world of eLearning. Are you still unconvinced about the importance of plagiarism check platforms in eLearning? Read the article 5 Important Reasons To Use Free Plagiarism Checkers in eLearning to discover some fundamental points that will demonstrate the significance of plagiarism checkers.

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Top 10 Free Plagiarism Detection Tools For eLearning Professionals (2017 Update) - eLearning Industry

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Are you trying to discover the most effective free plagiarism detection tools? Plagiarism is a highly intolerable act in the literary and digital community; a practice that all reputable individuals and companies are trying to avoid. In this article, I'll present the top 10 free plagiarism detection tools that will help all eLearning professionals give credit where credit is due.

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What Educators (Including Parents) Need to Know 

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What Educators (Including Parents) Need to Know 

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Copyright, Creative Commons, OERs | Piktochart Infographic Editor

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A silly music video that helps children to understand the term "fair use" through the use of repetition and examples.

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Copyright Education User Rights, Section 107 Music Video

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Learn about copyright and fair use with this engaging music video from the Media Education Lab. This video supports the Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education available at www.mediaeducationlab.com

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This publication contains the text of Title 17 of the United States Code, including all amendments enacted by Congress through October 17, 2022. It includes the Copyright Act of 1976 and all subsequent amendments to copyright law; the Semiconductor Chip Protection Act of 1984, as amended; and the Vessel Hull Design Protection Act, as amended. The Copyright Office is responsible for registering intellectual property claims under all three.

The United States copyright law is contained in chapters 1 through 8 and 10 through 12 of Title 17 of the United States Code. The Copyright Act of 1976, which provides the basic framework for the current copyright law, was enacted on October 19, 1976, as Pub. L. No. 94-553, 90 Stat. 2541. The 1976 Act was a comprehensive revision of the copyright law in Title 17. Listed below in chronological order of their enactment are the Copyright Act of 1976 and subsequent amendments to Title 17.

This edition adds one piece of copyright legislation enacted since the last printed edition of the circular in May 2021: the Artistic Recognition for Talented Students Act, signed into law in October 2022.

U.S. Copyright Law, October 2022 [size 6 MB]

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Copyright Law of the United States | U.S. Copyright Office

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This publication contains the text of Title 17 of the United States Code, including all amendments enacted by Congress through October 17, 2022. It includes the Copyright Act of 1976 and all subsequent amendments to copyright law; the Semiconductor Chip Protection Act of 1984, as amended; and the Vessel Hull Design Protection Act, as amended.

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Common Sense Education provides educators and students with the resources they need to harness the power of technology for learning and life. Find a free K-12 Digital Citizenship curriculum, reviews of popular EdTech apps, and resources for protecting student privacy.

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"Think you know your stuff? Check out the Copyright Challenge to test what you know about copyrights."

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I absolutely love it when teachers and students create, remix, and mash up media; it's a fantastic way to encourage deeper learning and media literacy. But one issue that complicates digital freedom of expression is copyright law. While many would argue that copyright law is outdated and badly in need of an overhaul, it's still critical that adults and kids alike have a basic understanding of what's legal and ethical while playing with other people's intellectual property. Here's a list of videos I collected to help you navigate the murky waters of copyright law in educational settings.

Video Playlist: Understanding Copyright and Fair Use

Watch the first video below, or watch the whole playlist on YouTube.

1. Understanding "Fair Use" in a Digital World (06:14)
This excellent video by Common Sense Media and Teaching Channel shows students evaluating video remixes during a lesson in fair use. Get the PDF handout you see in the video here!

2. Should "Happy Birthday" be Protected by Copyright? (07:29)
I'm a PBS IdeaChannel fangirl, so I couldn't resist including host Mike Rugnetta's rapid-fire ruminations on the topic of copyright law. This one is a great discussion starter!

3. YouTube Copyright Basics (05:42)
YouTube commissioned this from comedic puppet duo Glove and Boots; it's chock full of useful information and helpful links. Despite the puppets, the language is not suitable for young kids -- you may want to preview.

4. Day at School: Copyright and You (06:35)
I'm a sucker for 1950s-style instructional filmstrip parodies, so I was tickled when I found this snarky one about copyright, made for teachers (not necessarily students!) -- and it actually has useful tips.

5. Fair Use School: Response to YouTube's Copyright School Video (04:42)
Lawyer Patrick McKay made this winning entry for Public Knowledge's contest to respond to YouTube's Copyright School video -- which is informative about what you can't do with copyrighted works, but falls short on what you can do under fair use.

6. Copyright Education User Rights, Section 107 Music Video (03:11)
This punk-ish music video takes a catchy look at some of the nuances of fair use, from media literacy activist and educator Renee Hobbs and the Media Education Lab at the University of Rhode Island.

7. A Fair(y) Use Tale (10:14)
Using Disney footage to explain copyright? Yes! This brilliantly ironic remix video is by film/media studies professor Eric Faden of Bucknell University. A little long, and visual quality is not the highest, but worth a watch.

8. Get Creative! (06:38)
The surefire way to avoid copyright infringement in the classroom? Use materials licensed under Creative Commons (CC). This fun animation recounts the history of copyright law that inspired the CC system.

More Resources for Teaching Copyright and Fair Use

If you've watched even a few of the videos above, you'll understand that fair use and copyright are very complicated and nuanced issues; but getting familiar with them is an essential part of being a good digital citizen, and even more important if you and your students plan to make and share creative works, whether original or mashup (which I hope you will!). Check out my Five-Minute Film Fest on the best educational parodies from last year to get fun ideas and resources for remixes as classroom projects.

The good news is that there are lots of organizations dedicated to protecting freedom of expression and helping people understand their rights and responsibilities around copyright law; and even a few that specialize in helping educators get a handle on the issues and impart the right lessons to their students. Just a few of these are listed are below, I'd love to hear from you if you have favorite resources on this important topic!

Stanford Copyright and Fair Use Center

Teaching Copyright website and curriculum, from Electronic Frontier Foundation

"Understanding Copyright, Fair Use, and Creative Commons, as they apply to Education," by K. Walsh, from EmergingEdTech

"A Printable Guide To Creative Commons," by Katie Lepi, from Edudemic

Fair Use Tube, from lawyer Patrick McKay

Infographic: Copyright and Fair Use Guidelines for Teachers (PDF), from Tech & Learning

"The Educator's Guide to Copyright and Fair Use," from Education World

Legal and How-to Guides for Citizen Media Creators and Online Publishing, from New Media Rights

Ethical Use of Materials: How and When to Cite Online and Print Resources, from International Education and Resource Network

"How Does Copyright Work in Space?" from The Economist Explains

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5-Minute Film Festival: Copyright and Fair Use for Educators

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I absolutely love it when teachers and students create, remix, and mash up media; it's a fantastic way to encourage deeper learning and media literacy. But one issue that complicates digital freedom of expression is copyright law.

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This website is key! Here you will find information about copyrighting, the overview of the curriculum and resources.

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There's a lot of misinformation out there about legal rights and responsibilities in the digital era.

This is especially disconcerting when it comes to information being shared with youth. Kids and teens are bombarded with messages from a myriad of sources that using new technology is high-risk behavior. Downloading music is compared to stealing a bicycle - even though many downloads are lawful. Making videos using short clips from other sources is treated as probably illegal - even though many such videos are also lawful.

This misinformation is harmful, because it discourages kids and teens from following their natural inclination to be innovative and inquisitive. The innovators, artists and voters of tomorrow need to know that copyright law restricts many activities but also permits many others. And they need to know the positive steps they can take to protect themselves in the digital sphere. In short, youth don't need more intimidation - what they need is solid, accurate information.

EFF's Teaching Copyright curriculum was created to help teachers present the laws surrounding digital rights in a balanced way.

Teaching Copyright provides lessons and ideas for opening your classroom up to discussion, letting your students express their ideas and concerns, and then guiding your students toward an understanding of the boundaries of copyright law.

In five distinct lessons, students are challenged to:

Reflect on what they already know about copyright law.

See the connection between the history of innovation and the history of copyright law.

Learn about fair use, free speech, and the public domain and how those concepts relate to using materials created by others.

Experience various stakeholders' interests and master the principles of fair use through a mock trial.

Teaching Copyright will require your students to think about their role in the online world and provide them with the legal framework they need to make informed choices about their online behavior.

About

In 2006, California passed a law requiring schools that accept technology funding to educate students about copyright, plagiarism, and the basics of Internet safety. Other states have since considered similar laws. We saw this as an opportunity to help teach students their rights and responsibilities when using technology.

But when we surveyed existing digital education resources related to copyright, we were dismayed to find that much of the available material relied on inaccurate generalizations about technology and law. Rather than presenting unbiased facts and encouraging inquiry, the materials focused on drilling students on the prohibitions of copyright. As avid users of technology ourselves, we could not stand by and let this educational opportunity become an excuse to scare young people away from making full and fair use of the digital technologies that will continue to affect virtually every aspect of their lives.

We decided to fill in the gap by developing an honest, accurate, and balanced curriculum that would help students understand and exercise their digital rights and responsibilities. Working with educators from around the country, we aimed to design a fun and flexible plan that would not just provide information, but also help foster basic skills in research, writing, and critical thinking.

We're proud of the result. The Teaching Copyright curriculum is a detailed, customizable learning plan to help educators raise interesting questions about copyright, technology, and law, such as:

What is legal online?

How is creativity being enabled by new technologies?

What digital rights and responsibilities exist already, and what roles do we play as users of digital technology?

Through the Teaching Copyright curriculum, students and teachers will learn the answers to these questions and come to a greater understanding about the role of technology in our lives.

We want to make these materials useful and relevant to you, the classroom teacher. Let us know if you have any ideas on how we can improve and/or expand upon this curriculum. Send your questions or comments to us at tc@eff.org.

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WelcomeThere's a lot of misinformation out there about legal rights and responsibilities in the digital era.This is especially disconcerting when it comes to information being shared with youth. Kids and teens are bombarded with messages from a myriad of sources that using new technology is high-...

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: the exclusive legal right to reproduce, publish, sell, or distribute the matter and form of something (such as a literary, musical, or artistic work)

His family still holds the copyright to his songs.

transitive verb
Example Sentences

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'copyright.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Noun

1735, in the meaning defined above

Verb

circa 1806, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1870, in the meaning defined above

The first known use of copyright was in 1735

Dictionary Entries Near copyright

Cite this Entry

"Copyright." Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/copyright. Accessed 4 Sep. 2023.

More from Merriam-Webster on copyright

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Merriam-Webster unabridged

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The meaning of COPYRIGHT is the exclusive legal right to reproduce, publish, sell, or distribute the matter and form of something (such as a literary, musical, or artistic work). How to use copyright in a sentence.

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to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own : use (another's production) without crediting the source; to commit literary theft : present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source... See the full definition

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MUST KNOW INFORMATION!