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Copying for Educational Purposes - A Summary

Material can be reproduced or communicated without asking for permission in the following situations:
  • the copyright is owned by you or Flinders University;
  • the material has been supplied to the Flinders with an express licence to copy and/or communicate (e.g. some electronic journals purchased under licence by the Flinders University);
  • the proposed copying and/or communication is of an 'insubstantial portion';
  • the copying and/or communication is covered by one of the statutory licences or the music licence;
  • the material is being reproduced in accessible formats to assist a student with a disability;
  • you obtain permission from the copyright owner.
For further general information about copyright and how it applies see Introduction to Copyright.
The following table summarises what can and cannot be copied for educational purposes. Click on the links provided for more information about each type of material.
Type of MaterialCopying Limits*RestrictionsAble to be communicated electronically?

Literary Works - Books

10 % or one chapter, whichever is greatest. More can copied if the work has never been published or is out of print and not commercially available within a reasonable time.

Only applies to works of more than 10 pages.

Yes, but only one portion can be online across the University at any one time.
An item added to Readings will remain online for the semester and cannot be taken down to add a different portion of that work.

Literary Works - Journal Articles/NewspapersOne whole article from a journal issue or two or more articles from the same issue if they are on the same subject.Multiple articles must be on the same subject if from the same issue.Yes, but only one portion can be online across the University at any one time.
An item added to Readings will remain online for the semester and cannot be taken down to add a different portion of that work.
Literary Works & Dramatic Works - Anthologies
  • Individual works can be copied as long as they do not exceed 15 pages.
  • In electronic anthologies , the work must be in a format that can be paginated, e.g. a pdf.
  • If the work exceeds 15 pages, you may only copy 10% or 1 chapter unless the work has not been separately published.
 


Yes, but only under certain conditions, but only one portion can be online across the University at any one time.
An item added to Readings will remain online for the semester and cannot be taken down to add a different portion of that work.

Artistic Works (e.g. images, graphs, charts, maps etc.)
  • In part or whole if the artistic work is incidental (i.e. accompanies a literary or dramatic work for the purpose of explaining or illustrating) or has not been separately published.
  • If an artistic work has been separately published, no more than a reasonable portion of the work can be copied, unless a new copy of the artistic work cannot be obtained within a reasonable time at an ordinary commercial price.
  • If the image is in electronic format, then the whole image can be copied or communicated; there is no need to test if it has been separately published.
 
Yes, but only one portion can be online across the University at any one time.
Dramatic Works (e.g. film or television scripts or plays)10 % or 1 chapter, whichever is greater. More can be copied if the work has never been published or is out of print and not commercially available within a reasonable time.Only applies to works of more than 10 pages.Yes, but only one portion can be online across the University at any one time.
An item added to Readings will remain online for the semester and cannot be taken down to add a different portion of that work.
Musical Works (e.g. scores, notated music)10 %. More can copied if the work has never been published or is out of print and not commercially available within a reasonable time.Only applies to works of more than 10 pages.Yes, but only one portion can be online across the University at any one time.
An item added to Readings will remain online for the semester and cannot be taken down to add a different portion of that work.
FilmsCannot be copied unless broadcast on television and recorded under Part VA. Yes, if copied under Part VA.
Sound RecordingsCan be copied under the Music Licence or under Part VA if broadcast on radio. Yes, if copied under Part VA.
BroadcastsCan be copied in full (Part VA). Yes, if copied under Part VA.
PodcastsCan be copied in full (Part VA) if originally broadcast and compliant with the other conditions.  Yes, if copied under Part VA.
Published EditionsCan be copied in full under the statutory licence. Yes, but only one portion can be online across the University at any one time.
An item added to Readings will remain online for the semester and cannot be taken down to add a different portion of that work.
Works not available separately or unpublishedCopies may be made of the whole or part of a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work which is not separately published, or is unpublished. Yes, but only one portion can be online across the University at any one time.
An item added to Readings will remain online for the semester and cannot be taken down to add a different portion of that work.
Works not available, e.g. out of printThe whole, or part, of a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work can be copied if new copies of that work cannot be obtained within a reasonable time at an ordinary commercial price. Yes, but only one portion can be online across the University at any one time.
An item added to Readings will remain online for the semester and cannot be taken down to add a different portion of that work.
* If the work only exists in electronic form then 10 % is deemed to be 10 % of the total word count. For print material, 10 % is deemed to be 10 % of the total number of pages.

Copying Insubstantial Portions

Further Information

Overview of Copyright
Using Copyright Material for Research or Study
inspiring achievement