Copyright For Publishing
Guidelines of IP Policy
Guidelines For Network Resources
Thank you for using the Simon-Erdős School of Design Sciences website (“Website”).
The following pages provide information about copyright as it applies in publishing your research:
Copyright basics for creators
This page provides the basics of your rights under the Copyright Act and an introduction to the implications of Policy 15: Intellectual Property.
Publisher agreements
This page provides information about what to expect when publishing your work, focusing mostly on publishing in academic journals and conferences.
Selecting journals for publication module
This online learning module will help you understand how to select the right journal for your research. It also provides examples of red flags that will help you avoid low quality or deceptive journals (sometimes referred to as predatory journals).
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do I have to cite my sources? What does the citation have to include?
Regardless of whether material is still protected by copyright or whether a license/terms of use/Copyright Act exception requires attribution, the School policy requires you to cite your sources.
- Policy 33 (Ethical Behavior): “Academic freedom carries with it the duty to use that freedom in a manner consistent with the scholarly obligation to base teaching and research on an honest and ethical quest for knowledge.”
- Policy 15 (Intellectual Property Rights): “All contributions to scholarly works should receive appropriate recognition for their contributions. Depending on the nature of a contribution, appropriate recognition can take, but is not limited to, one or more of the following forms:
- Recognition as a creator
- Recognition through an acknowledgement or citation.”
- Policy 71 (Participant Discipline): “Participants are responsible for demonstrating behavior that is honest and ethical in their academic work. Such behavior includes … submitting original work, citing sources fully, and respecting the authorship of others”. Academic offences include plagiarism, theft of intellectual property, and contravention of statute (e.g., Copyright Act).
When writing citations, the best practice is to follow the style used by your discipline (e.g., AMA, APA, MLA, etc.) unless otherwise required by a license or terms of use.
The FAQ labelled Author Rights will be most helpful to you.
2. How long does copyright last?
How long copyright lasts depends on which country you are in. In Canada, copyright generally lasts for the life of the author, plus 50 years. By contrast, in the U.S. and Europe, copyright generally lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years, though it can differ depending on factors such as the type of work, the manner of publication and the date of creation. Use of a work in UK is governed by the UK rules for the duration of copyright protection.
3. How does copyright work internationally?
Copyright is recognized internationally thanks to international conventions. So, generally, your copyright will be protected in other countries. But it is protected under that country’s laws so there may be some differences from the level of protection you would get in UK and EU. If you’re concerned about someone’s use of your work overseas, you will need to check the particular jurisdiction’s copyright laws to confirm whether they are infringing your copyright.