Are you unsure what is permitted from a copyright perspective when it comes to use of resources in your academic work? This guide will answer questions you might have and point to you in the direction of further sources of information and support.
The Basics
As a general rule, you can make a single photocopy of a "reasonable" proportion of a published work, typically up to 5% of a book, or one chapter of a book, or one article from a journal for your own private study. This is permitted under the terms of the Copyright Exception for Personal research & private study [Section 32] provided your reason for use is consistent with the concept of fair dealing. Up to 5% is permitted if the work is also covered by West Suffolk College's FE CLA License which can be checked using its CLA Permissions Checker.
You can also include quotes in your essays, papers and dissertations using the Quotation, criticism and review Copyright Exception [Section 30].
When reusing a work, always include acknowledgement and attribution of the author wherever possible.
If you are looking to use images, you can also search for CC-licensed (Creative Commons) and public domain content via search services like OpenVerse that bring together images and materials for reuse under open licenses.
Films and videos can be shown in an educational setting if they are shown by staff or students for educational purposes and the audience is limited to staff, students and others directly connected with the College. Film and video extracts can be included in lecture captures for educational reasons if the use is ‘fair dealing’, and the lectures are stored in a secure environment (e.g. Canvas) and accessed only by registered users (students and staff).
Uploading film and video clips sourced from YouTube and other websites to Canvas is permissible under the ‘illustration for instruction’ exception if the amount copied is proportionate for the intended use and is accompanied by sufficient acknowledgement. However, given the uncertain provenance of much of the material uploaded to the internet, it is recommended that you copy or embed a link to the site that hosts the video rather than download or copy the video itself. Avoid linking to content if you have reason to believe the work has been uploaded without the permission of the copyright owner.
As a last resort, you can contact the rights holder directly to seek permission, but this can be a complex and long, drawn-out process which we will not necessarily be able to support you with. A better option is to find an alternative third-party work to use.
To explore copyright in more detail, you might like to work through How to comply - step by step.