You have a valid and important voice in your discourse community. Though giving others proper credit is essential, so is knowing how to share and protect your own work. In this module, we’ll learn about copyright, the 5 R’s, different types of Creative Commons Licenses, and how copyright is related to Creative Commons.

After completing this module, you will be able to:

• create a Creative Commons License to share and protect your own work

What is copyright?

What does copyright mean for me?

What is Creative Commons?

Established in 2001, Creative Commons started issuing licenses in 2002. Creative Commons Licenses are a solution that allows creators to “legally share their knowledge” without going through the copyright process. Watch the video to learn more.

What are the 5 R’s?

There are five key aspects to consider when reviewing material licensed under creative commons known as the 5 R’s.

Click on the titles in the accordion below to view more information about each of the 5 R’s.

The definitions come from https://libraries.etsu.edu/research/oer/home: This material is based on original writing by David Wiley, which was published freely under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license at http://opencontent.org/definition

What do the Creative Commons symbols mean?

There are four main symbols you will see when material is licensed under a Creative Commons license. Click the plus signs in the graphic to learn more about each symbol.

What are the Creative Commons license types?

There are six types of Creative Commons licenses. Click on the plus signs in the graphic to learn more about each type of license.

How can I use the 5 R’s and Creative Commons licenses?

Watch the video to hear Kristin Conlin, Reference and Instruction Librarian, discuss the 5 R’s and how you can use them.

To incorporate any or all of the 5 R’s in your work, you need to check the licensing on the work you are seeking to reuse, retain, revise, remix, and/or redistribute. If you can’t find a license (creative commons or copyright) on the work, always assume the most restrictive licensing (copyright) and simply cite the source appropriately. You can always contact the library and ask for help sleuthing out the licensing of a work, or contact the creator and ask for permission to use their work. This last piece of advice might appear onerous, but it is the best way to guarantee that your use of a creator’s work is permitted.