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Copyright Awareness for Teaching, Learning and Research

Learning Materials: Slides, Tutorial Notes and Handouts

The slides, tutorial handouts and other teaching materials uploaded to LumiNUS and Canvas are copyrighted and owned by NUS and/or its teaching staff. 

You are not to:

  • sell
  • upload
  • share
  • distribute

...NUS slides, tutorial handouts and other teaching materials on commercial platforms. 

Doing so is a violation of NUS's policies (e.g. NUS Student Code of Conduct) and Copyright Laws and may subject you to disciplinary action.

Appropriate Use of e-Resources

NUS e-Resources are Protected by Copyright

Material available through NUS e-Resources are all protected by copyright. Access to these resources have been paid for by NUS Libraries. These include: 

  • e-Books
  • e-Journals
  • databases 

Best Practices when Using NUS e-Resources:

Best Practice Avoid Doing These Things 

1. download / print a copy for yourself 

2. adhere to the printing and downloading guidelines

1. exceeding printing and downloading guidelines for e-Books
2. post / share simple links with your class or staff member 

2. post a copy (e.g. PDF article or chapter) on a shared site or file sharing site (e.g. Dropbox, Google Drive)

3. distribute the materials through other digital media formats (e.g. social media, email)

4. share your e-Resource password with anyone else

5. print and share copies of the article/chapter with others

What are the Consequences of Violations?

  • Publishers track use of e-Resources through various means:
    • Download statistics: mass/systematic downloading
    • Digital watermarks: invisible tracking tool to detect illicit copying
    • Other types of embedded digital markers
  • Publishers may notify NUS Libraries of excessive downloads and sharing of their materials
  • Publishers and NUS Libraries can identify users through their emails or IP addresses

Possible Scenario: 

  • Publishers/copyright owner will contact the library 
  • Library may contact the user and try to resolve violation
  • If necessary, NUS Libraries legal counsel/faculty deans may get involved  
  • Some publishers terminate access to e-Resources for the entire university temporarily upon detection of violations 
  • Users may be subject to disciplinary action

Useful Policies 

  • NUS Libraries e-Resource Appropriate Use Policy 
    • This policy sets out the prohibited acts when using NUS Libraries e-Resources such as:
      • mass downloading
      • dissemination of copyrighted materials 

Photocopying and Scanning Guidelines

You are only allowed to photocopy / scan a "reasonable amount" of a book or journal article. 

Please view the library policy on G. Copying of Library Materials here.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism and Copyright are distinct concepts, although they are commonly confused.

Learn more about Plagiarism here.