Copyright Questions?
Copyright law can be difficult and confusing. This webpage is meant to provide you with guidance, but not legal advice.
Should you have further questions, please do not hesitate to ask Sara Benson, the Copyright Librarian, for assistance. Sara can be reached at 217-333-4200 or srbenson@illinois.edu
Scholarly Communication and Publishing
FAQ
Who owns my dissertation?
You own the copyright to your thesis/dissertation, however, this does not extend to the data, software, algorithms or intellectual property (inventions, methods, processes, designs) used or described in your thesis research. The University also retains ownership of laboratory notebooks and original records of research. [1]
How does publishing my dissertation affect ownership?
Publishing through ProQuest or depositing through IDEALS does not affect your ownership of your dissertation. The agreement with ProQuest is non-exclusive, giving you the right to re-publish your work elsewhere.[2] For more information, read about depositing your dissertation in IDEALS.
- Copyright and Publishing Your Dissertation: FAQA Step-by-Step Guide to Using Materials, Publishing Choices, and Your Rights as an Author from the University of California Berkeley Library.
Selected Readings
- Copyright and Your Dissertation or Thesis: Ownership, Fair Use, and Your Rights and Responsibilities [pdf]Kenneth D. Crews offers a complete guide on how copyright affects your thesis.
- University of Michigan's Copyright for Dissertations: Getting StartedProvides an overview of using materials, publishing choices, and author's rights with special emphasis on navigating copyright when adapting a dissertation for a book.
General Copyright Resources
- University of Minnesota Copyright ServicesLed by Nancy Simms, the University of Minnesota Copyright Services has a number of pages that teach the basics of copyright, helping you answer the questions, "Can I use this?" and "What do I own?"
- Ohio State University Copyright Resources CenterThe Ohio State University Copyright Center, led by Sandra Enimil offers a variety of resources that give a general overview of U.S. Copyright Law as well as several that focus on the public domain.
- University of Michigan Copyright OfficeLed by Melissa Levine, the University of Michigan Copyright Office gives a broad overview of copyright law from copyrightability, duration of copyright, permissions, to your rights as a user.
- Copyright Advisory Office at Columbia UniversityThe Copyright Advisory Office at Columbia University, led by Rina Pantalony, provides a Copyright Quick Guide and several resources for determining fair use.
LibGuides on Copyright
- Copyright Reference GuideThe main copyright reference guide