Copyright & Fair Use Basics

Learn the basics of U.S. Copyright law and how to apply fair use to your teaching and research

UTSA Copyright Policy

According to the UTSA Handbook of Operation Procedures, the university does not claim ownership of scholarly works by UTSA employees. Authors and creators maintain their rights to "scholarly or educational materials, class content, art works, musical compositions and dramatic and nondramatic literary works authored by a Covered Creator(s) and related to his/her academic or professional field."

Additional related policies include:

Conflicts of Interest in Research & Intellectual Property
Chapter 10.04, UTSA HOP
Misconduct in Research or in Other Scholarly Activities
Chapter 10.02, UTSA HOP

Authors' Copyrights

Federal law grants certain, exclusive rights to authors that often get signed away to publishers. These resources can help you negotiate and maintain your author rights during the publishing process.

Author Rights: Using the SPARC Author Addendum
A sample addendum to negotiate author's rights with publishers.
Creative Commons Licenses
Learn about different models of assigning copyrights to your own materials, which allows you to communicate which rights you reserve and which you waive with those who use your work.
Introduction to Copyright Resources
Practical guidance when submitting your article, including understanding your rights and how to preserve them.
Managing Your Rights as an Author
By Dartmouth College Library: Tools and Resources for Scholars and Researchers. This page provides links to tools and information that can help you manage your copyright as an author.
Reserving Rights of Copyright in Works Submitted for Publication: Negotiating Publishing Agreements
Suggestions from Peter B. Hirtle, Cornell University Library, on how to negotiate an agreement with publishers that allows you more rights over your work.
Termination of Transfer Tool
The Termination of Transfer tool, co-stewarded by Authors Alliance and Creative Commons, gives authors who have previously entered into publishing agreements information about whether and how they can regain the publication rights previously assigned away so they can publish on new terms.
Scholars Copyright Addendum Engine
Allows authors to choose among different options to reserve rights for themselves, and generates an agreement that is then submitted with a traditional publication agreement to make that legally effective.