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Copyright And Plagiarism: There Is a Difference
Copyright and plagiarism are not the same thing. A copyright violation is using copyrighted material without permission. Plagiarism is using someone else's work without giving them credit (citation). Copyright, is a legal term with legal ramifications. Plagiarism, while equally serious, is a violation of ethics.
Fortunately for teachers and students, the law allows copyrighted material to be used without permission for the purpose of education (such as writing a research paper), this is called "Fair Use". This means, as long as we "cite" the work that we are using in a school assignment, we are not violating copyright law. However, ethics requires that we "cite" any work or idea that is not our own, regardless of whether it is copyrighted material or not.
The following are two online games that can help you better understand copyright rules:
Copyright Game for Students
Links to "Copyright with Cyberbee" interactive copyright questions and answers
Taking the Mystery out of Copyright
Opens a Library of Congress webpage on copyright that was designed for teachers and students.
Fortunately for teachers and students, the law allows copyrighted material to be used without permission for the purpose of education (such as writing a research paper), this is called "Fair Use". This means, as long as we "cite" the work that we are using in a school assignment, we are not violating copyright law. However, ethics requires that we "cite" any work or idea that is not our own, regardless of whether it is copyrighted material or not.
The following are two online games that can help you better understand copyright rules:
Copyright Game for Students
Links to "Copyright with Cyberbee" interactive copyright questions and answers
Taking the Mystery out of Copyright
Opens a Library of Congress webpage on copyright that was designed for teachers and students.
All about Citation
When you "cite" your sources for a Happy Valley school project you will be expected to use the MLA format (Modern Language Association). MLA is just a bunch of rules (such as margins, font, etc) that have been created so everyone's paper looks the same (it makes it easier to read and find information that way).
Citing Sources
The following are resources that explain how to properly "cite" our references using the MLA, to include citation generators (programs that put the citation in the correct format).
Citation GuidesHappy Valley Citation Guide
Happy Valley guide for how to cite sources. Happy Valley Citation Worksheet Happy Valley worksheet to create citations. Purdue Online Writing Lab MLA style guide to include paper format, citing format, and in-text reference formats. Williams College Library Examples of most commonly cited type of sources |
Citation GeneratorsSon of Citation Machine MLA
Will generate citations in MLA format after requested information is entered into form EasyBIb MLA Will create citations in MLA format after requested information is entered into form |
Public Domain and Creative Common Licensing
The following are resources to find material that can be used for free. Note: Read about copyright and usage restrictions at each site before using materials in your work
Creative Commons
Material (songs, videos, academic material, etc) available to the public for free and legal use under a clearly defined copyright license
Image Resources
Below are sources that provide free photos to use in your school projects.
As always, please read the usage restrictions at each site before using materials in your work. And, as always, always cite your sources.
Advance Google Image Search (make sure you select labeled for reuse in the usage rights section.)
American Memory at the Library of Congress
Flickr Commons
FreeFoto.com
Free Images and Free Stock Photos
Google: Life Magazine
Open Photo
PD Photo
Pics4Learning
WIkimedia Commons
Sound Resources
Below are sources that provide free sounds/music to use in your school projects. As always, please read the usage restrictions at each site before using materials in your work. And, as always, always cite your sources.
Dig CC Mixter
Free Play Music
Soundzabound
A database of sounds available for you to use in your presentation videos. Please see the library blackboard for a list of database and passwords, or ask the librarian.
Creative Commons
Material (songs, videos, academic material, etc) available to the public for free and legal use under a clearly defined copyright license
Image Resources
Below are sources that provide free photos to use in your school projects.
As always, please read the usage restrictions at each site before using materials in your work. And, as always, always cite your sources.
Advance Google Image Search (make sure you select labeled for reuse in the usage rights section.)
American Memory at the Library of Congress
Flickr Commons
FreeFoto.com
Free Images and Free Stock Photos
Google: Life Magazine
Open Photo
PD Photo
Pics4Learning
WIkimedia Commons
Sound Resources
Below are sources that provide free sounds/music to use in your school projects. As always, please read the usage restrictions at each site before using materials in your work. And, as always, always cite your sources.
Dig CC Mixter
Free Play Music
Soundzabound
A database of sounds available for you to use in your presentation videos. Please see the library blackboard for a list of database and passwords, or ask the librarian.
Happy Valley Middle School Library and Happy Valley Middle School are fictional.
This website was created as part of a school project.
See About Us (internal link) for more details.
This website was created as part of a school project.
See About Us (internal link) for more details.