2.3.2: Open License Tutorial

Overview

Welcome! With this tutorial, you have the opportunity to gain confidence with sourcing and creating open licensing attributions.

Basic Attribution

The TASL acronym is used to remind us what elements Creative Commons recommends including in an attribution.

In addition, Creative Commons suggests specific conditions in your attributions.

Summary:

• Include full link address to the original source.
• Include CC license/link for the source, e.g., CC BY 4.0
• Indicate derivative or adaptation.

Attribution Placement

Having attributions listed at the beginning or end of a paper, slides, or blog post can work well. In some cases, placement of an attribution often makes more sense "closer" to the item being attributed, such as with images and figures or with audio or video excerpts.

Reasonable Attribution

Creative Commons notes that you may satisfy the attribution requirement in any reasonable manner based on the medium, means, and context in which the Licensed Material is used. For example, it may be reasonable to satisfy some or all of the conditions by retaining a copyright notice, or by providing a link associated with the Licensed Material, if the copyright notice or webpage includes some or all of the required information.

Image Attributions

Including the TASL elements are indeed good practice, but there are some special considerations (Pixsy, 2024) for attributing images.

• Make sure the attribution is fully visible next to image.
• If there is no clear link to the creator or license of an image, do not use it.
• Note image modifications in the attribution (if these are allowed by the CC license). See example below.
• If there are multiple creators, include them.
• If the creator’s name is not available, it is acceptable to substitute the username or handle.
• If there’s any doubt as to how the creator(s) should be credited, get in contact with the copyright owner.
• For images under CC 4.0 licenses, including the title is not mandatory.
• Images shared without CC licensing can be used as per the license agreement under which they were procured.

Image Modifications Attributions

If modifications are allowed by the CC license (no "ND" for no derivatives), users can change images. Creative Commons suggests users note the change in their attribution. This protects the original work and disassociates the creator from further derivative works. For example:

“Super Capta” by Boxy Brown’s Bling, via Flickr, is licensed CC BY-NC 2.0. Noir filter applied.

If the image were modified to such a degree that a new work was created, a new title, author, and (compatible) license of the derivative work could be declared along with the attribution statement.

CCO/Public Domain Attributions

Attribution is not a legal requirement for public domain works or for works released from copyright by the creator with a CC0 designation; however, providing source information gives others a path to find the work, shows that you are following good practice, and models good practice for students.

Use at Your Own Risk

Once you have created or remixed an OER, consider including a “disclaimer of warranties,” which clarifies that the author makes no representations or warranties about the non-infringement or absence of other defects concerning the CC-licensed work. In plain English, this means that the users will use the work at their own risk.

Attribution Scenarios

Using the Open Washington Attribution Builder, "build" a license for the following scenarios.

SCENARIO 1: Original Media

SCENARIO 2:

SCENARIO 3*:

*Fine print: Materials produced by federal agencies are in the public domain and may be reproduced without permission. However, not all materials appearing on this web site are in the public domain. Some materials have been donated or obtained from individuals or organizations and may be subject to restrictions on use.

For additional scenarios, see: Quickstart Guide: Openly Licensed Images and Attribution

Conclusion

It is always good practice, and often the law, to attribute the source of work produced by others.

Next up, you will explore ways to attribute sources when they come from a variety of authors with a variety of licenses.

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Attributions

Adapted from Recommended practices for attribution, Creative Commons, CC BY 4.0

Cited from How to correctly attribute images, Pixsy, Copyrighted. Accessed 1/23/24.

Excerpted from Attribution, Pressbooks, CC BY 4.0

Excerpted from How to Build Open Attributions, OER Initiative, CC BY 4.0

Excerpted from Copyright Literacy and Open License Attribution as Scholarly Practice, Digital Culture & Education, 7/3/23. Written by: Connie Blomgren, Athabasca University, Canada, CC BY NC SA

Quickstart Guide: Openly Licensed Images and Attribution, OER Commons, CC BY 4.0

Attribution Builder, Open Washington, CC BY 4.0