IRIS Copyright Guidance
You can deposit:
✔ if the instrument is wholly your own work, and contains no material from a third party
✔ if the instrument is wholly your own work, but contains a link to some third-party material on an external site
✔ if the instrument contains third-party material but you already have permission to use it for research purposes or upload it to IRIS
You may need to seek permission from the
rights holder:
? if you have incorporated a significant amount of material from another researcher's work and did not seek permission at the time
- if you did seek permission, simply citing their work on the IRIS submission form should be sufficient, just as with standard "Acknowledgements"
? if you have scanned a significant amount of material from published items, including images or slides
? if you have used a significant amount of material downloaded from electronic resources
? if your instrument has been published in full in a book or journal
- if just extracts have been published, you are very unlikely to need permission
You should not deposit:
✖ any material showing a clear copyright statement restricting use, if you have not sought permission to use or deposit it
Notes
- Copyright law is complex and differs by country, but it's your responsibility.
- There is no exact rule about copyright or permissible amounts; it's often more about "managed risk".
- If you think the risk of a copyright problem is low, go ahead and deposit - we can always take down the material later.
- If your instrument has been published in full, you could check any agreements you may have signed with publishers.
- The checklist above is just a guide and does not constitute legal advice. If in doubt, please contact IRIS.