Help with copyright

You can deposit:

✔
if the instrument is wholly your own work, and contains no material from a third party
✔
if the instrument is wholly your own work, but contains a link to some third-party material on an external site
✔
if the instrument contains third-party material but you already have permission to use it for research purposes or upload it to IRIS

You may need to seek permission from the rights holder:

?
if you have incorporated a significant amount of material from another researcher's work and did not seek permission at the time
 
(if you did seek permission, simply citing their work on the IRIS submission form should be sufficient, just as with standard "Acknowledgements")
?
if you have scanned a significant amount of material from published items, including images or slides
?
if you have used a significant amount of material downloaded from electronic resources
?
if your instrument has been published in full in a book or journal
 
(if just extracts have been published, you are very unlikely to need permission)

You should not deposit:

✖
any material showing a clear copyright statement restricting use, if you have not sought permission to use or deposit it

Notes

  • Copyright law is complex and differs by country, but it's your responsibility.
  • There is no exact rule about copyright or permissible amounts; it's often more about "managed risk".
  • If you think the risk of a copyright problem is low, go ahead and deposit - we can always take down the material later.
  • If your instrument has been published in full, you could check any agreements you may have signed with publishers.
  • The checklist above is just a guide and does not constitute legal advice. If in doubt, please contact IRIS.