1.3.4 Copyright rules

Copyright refers to the legal rights held by the creator of an original work, giving them the right to be credited as the owner of the work and to have control over how it's used.

Find out more about copyright rules at The University of Notre Dame Australia.

As a student, you're allowed to scan or photocopy a limited amount of copyright material for study or research purposes. This means you need to know how much is legally allowed. Click on the headings below to find out about copyright rules for the different materials.

  • Can I copy books and articles?

    For text sources such as books, journal articles and newspapers, there are rules for scanning/photocopying materials for study or research purposes. It is important to check with the Library what the particular specification are as they might change from time to time.

    In general, the following basic principles apply:

    • 10% of the pages or one chapter of a book
    • One article from any one issue of a journal or newspaper
    • Two or more articles from one issue of a journal (or newspaper) if they are all for the same research or course of study
    • A work of fewer than 15 pages from an anthology
    • A reasonable portion of an ebook; the exact portion varies among the different companies and publishers, therefore, it is important to check the specifications for each ebook and very strictly adhere to these specifications

  • Are images copyright material?

    Images such as photos, diagrams, cartoons and drawings/designs are covered by copyright unless they specifically state that they are copyright-free. You can use images for research or study purposes if you very clearly reference the original source (this includes copyright-free images) but it is important to check the terms of use specified by the copyright owner as different copyright owners have different specifications.

  • Can I copy videos and podcasts?

    You are permitted to use material from videos or podcasts for your research or study but fair dealing provisions apply. For example, you could present a video and analyse it in a tutorial or seminar, providing you attribute it and do not distort or modify it. However, you are not allowed to email it, show it in a public place, upload it to YouTube or to use it in a public context where charges apply.

  • What if I want to copy some music?

    Copyright for music covers written and recorded music and lyrics. Notre Dame has a music licence which allows you to copy music and sound recordings for educational purposes. However, you must use original source material, for example, a commercial copy, not an unauthorised copy such as a pirated copy from a torrent website.

    Notre Dame’s music licence does not allow you to download music from streaming or peer-to-peer sharing sites, to upload copied music to the internet, or to send copied music by email.

  • What about copying computer software or programs?

    Computer programs are protected under the Copyright Act as 'literary works'. This means that you will need to check the terms and conditions of use of the program or software and that the university allows you to download it to your computer. For example, Notre Dame has a site licence allowing you to install EndNote on your computer, subject to terms and conditions.

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