Why is copyright important?
Copyright protects the original works of creators. It ensures creators are rewarded for their work and recognises creativity and innovation. When writing essays, dissertations or other assignments, you will rely on and should acknowledge the work of others (3rd party copyright), you will also be the copyright holder of your own work.
Under LSE’s Intellectual Property Policy (section 3) you own the copyright in work you create whilst a student at the institution.
What is protected by copyright?
Original creative works in a variety of formats (eg, print, video, audio) attract copyright protection. Further information can be found within Copyright Essentials.
What is the difference between plagiarism and copyright infringement?
Plagiarism and copyright infringement are both serious issues but are not the same thing.
Plagiarism occurs when someone presents someone else’s work as their own without proper attribution.
Copyright infringement happens when someone reproduces copyrighted material without the copyright holder’s permission, regardless of whether they give credit to the original creator or not.
When can I use other people’s copyrighted works (3rd party copyright)?
You can re-use others’ work by asking for permission, making use of a licence, or relying on a copyright exception. If the material was published a long time ago, it will have entered the public domain, which means that copyright has expired and there are no restrictions on re-use.
Please note that uploading teaching materials to sites such as Course Hero, Chegg and StuDocu without the academic’s permission infringes copyright. These actions, as well as sharing written notes based on lecture content are also prohibited within the School’s Conditions of Registration and Enrolment (para 20)
For further information on re-using the work of others, please see Copyright Essentials.
How much of another person’s work am I able to scan and photocopy?
Under the Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) licence, you can copy a chapter or 10% of a book (whichever is greater) or 2 articles from an issue of a journal. Further information can be found on the Licensing page.
How does copyright law assist students with disabilities?
Legislation (CDPA s.31A-F) permits enhanced access to copyright works to those whose disability prevents them from enjoying a copyright work in the same way as a person who does not have that impairment. This includes students with visual impairments, a learning disability (eg, dyslexia, autism, ADHD) and/or a physical disability. For My Adjustments students, please see information on the support the library offers on the Using the Library space page.
What copyright issues should I consider when using social media?
Be aware that when sharing copyright work on social media sites such as Instagram and TikTok you often give rights to those websites to re-use your work. You should avoid sharing other’s copyright work without their permission. Further guidance can be found on the Social media and scholarly networks page.
I would like to publish my work, should I think about my own copyright?
If you’re considering publishing an essay, dissertation or other work, check the publishing agreement carefully. Assigning copyright to the publisher means that you lose the ability to re-use and/or repurpose your work without their permission. LSE Library offers a Publishing Advice Service which can help with guidance on choosing and evaluating journals, author rights and signing a publishing agreement, and book publishing.
What about copyright and AI?
The copyright works used to train AI, the use of inputs to train Large Language Models, and the possible infringement of copyright by outputs are all currently being discussed. For further guidance please see our Artificial Intelligence page.