Can you copyright an idea? What can be copyrighted?
What is the purpose of the fair dealing policy?
Do Fair Dealing guidelines restrict the use of an original work or other publication?
Can I include copyrighted works in my thesis?
What is copyright? What does it do?
Copyright protects works (e.g. books, photographs, films) from being copied, performed or distributed without the permission of the copyright holder, usually the author or the creator of the work, and provides exceptions for special circumstances (e.g. educational use), in an attempt to balance the rights of creators and users. In Canada, copyright is governed by the Copyright Act (R.S.C. 1985, c. C-42). NOTE: Owning a work, or a copy of a work, especially if you didn't create it, does not mean that you can copy, distribute, or perform (especially for profit) that work.
Can you copyright an idea? What can be copyrighted?
Neither an idea nor facts can be copyrighted; only the expression of an idea or fact can be copyrighted. The expression of an idea is a work, and for a work to be copyrighted it must be fixed (or published) either as a physical object or a digital one. This covers literary works, dramatic works, artistic works, music, sound recordings, performer's performances and communication signals (including the Internet).
How long does copyright last?
In Canada, copyright generally lasts for 70 years past the death of the creator, at which time the copyright is no longer held by their estate, and the work shifts into the public domain. However, some or all of a copyright may be transferred to another person or entity such as a corporation or a society, which may extend the period of copyright coverage.
What is "Creative Commons?"
Creative Commons is a form of licensing that bridges the gap between "all rights reserved" or complete copyright protection and the public domain. For more information see the Creative Commons section of this guide.
What is "Open Access?"
Open Access is a growing movement in the scholarly community. As a publishing initiative, it provides free availability of scholarly publications, including peer-reviewed material. An excellent overview of Open Access is available from the MSVU Open Access Guide.
What is "Fair Dealing?"
The Canadian Copyright Act defines fair dealing as the rights of an individual to use material with attribution for the purpose of education, research, private study, parody, satire, criticism, review, or news reporting. For more information see the fair dealing section of this guide.
What is the purpose of the fair dealing policy?
The purpose of the policy is to translate some of the high level principles of fair dealing into practical rules applicable to the university setting. It outlines some of the user rights under the fair dealing exceptions that do not infringe copyright.
Does the fair dealing policy restrict the use of an original work or other publication?
No. The policy only addresses the making of paper or digital copies.
Can I make copies of all or part of a book that is no longer in print, but where the author has not been dead for 70 years or has otherwise assigned copyright?
Permission would need to be sought from the publisher.
Can I include copyrighted works in my thesis?
For information on including copyrighted works and content in your thesis, please see the Queens University guide "Copyright and Your Thesis", linked here: Copyright and Your Thesis