Fair Use is an exception to copyright law that allows you to quote and otherwise refer to copyrighted works as part of your scholarship without permission or payment. There are four factors to consider when determining if your use is "fair."
- The purpose and character of the use (is the use for nonprofit educational purposes? is the use as criticism, commentary, news reporting, research, scholarship, or teaching?)
- The nature of the copyrighted work (is it highly original and/or creative? has it been previously published?)
- The amount or substantiality of the portion used (is it just a small part of the work? does it represent the "heart" of the work?)
- The effect of the use on the potential market for or value of the work (does the use prevent or limit the copyright owner from selling their work? does the value of the work diminish as a result of the use?)
