Quick Copyright Information for Students
Compiled by Western Institute of TAFE Libraries
What is Copyright?
Copyright is the legal means by which authors and other creators control the use of their work. Copyright laws are contained in a Federal Statute, the Copyright Act 1968.
Who owns copyright?
In most cases, copyright is owned by the creator of the work.
While I'm a student, what can I copy?
You can copy 10% or one chapter of a book, or one article from any one issue of a journal. If the material you want to copy is in digital format, then you can copy one chapter, if the work is in chapters, or 10% of the number of words if it is not divided into chapters.
You must acknowledge the sources you use. For more information on moral rights, consult the guideline Moral Rights .
If you want to use material found on the web for your research and study, you may but remember that you are restricted to using the material for that purpose only.
Using WI equipment to download, upload, share or store music or movies without the permission of the copyright owner is a breach of Copyright. It is not legal to rip a CD.
Where can I get more help?
