Many people don’t know how to start when they have to write an article on a certain topic. But, come on! There are two steps that should never be skipped: the research process on that issue and the respect to the Copyright Laws.
In first place, it is hardly possible to come at a creative result if you don’t investigate first. Probably, many people have already worked on that subject before. Being inspired by others is useful and even necessary. But you have to be extremely careful. In order to avoid plagiarism you must be aware of the copyright legislation. We all know that copying is illegal. But, do you know which the limit is? Let’s see!
In a nutshell, copyright is the way in which the laws of the United States protect published and unpublished “original works of authorship” that are fixed in a tangible form of expression. This includes: literary, artistic, musical dramatic and other intellectual works. Plagiarism occurs when a copyrighted work is reproduced, distributed, performed, publicly displayed, or made into a derivative work without the permission of the author.
Additionally, the copyright laws in the United States automatically protect every work that was created after January 1978. Furthermore, it’s ordinarily given a term enduring for the author’s life plus an additional 70 years after the author’s death.
When we use ideas of other authors, we must carefully quote them. We can do this either indirectly (using a version of a writer or speaker without quotation marks) or directly reproducing the argument with quotation marks. The important thing is to make clear where the information comes from. You always have to reveal your sources in order to avoid plagiarism.
It is important to understand the difference between plagiarism and copyright infringement. The Council Chronicle of English establishes that plagiarism is “using someone else’s work without giving proper credit— a failure to cite adequatelyâ€.
On the other hand, copyright infringement is using someone else’s work without authorization or compensation if compensation is necessary. Copyright infringement occurs when you copy large selections of work without permission. Fortunately, you can copy a small piece of the work. But not all! Someone can decide to report copyright infringement and you can be sent to court. That’s why you must be careful and always with the author the proper credits (in order to avoid plagiarism).
So come on! Be smart! Get inspired by other, but be careful. Always show where ideas and statements come from. You will be taken more seriously and will avoid trouble if you do so.
Sources:
US Copyright Office
Does Copying From the Internet Count as Plagiarism?
Plagiarism and Copyright Infringement: Is Copying Illegal?
