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Copyright Essentials

What is Creative Commons Licensing?

Creative Commons licensing is a cornerstone of the Open Educational Resource movement. A CC license allows content creators to specify how their work can be used. 

A Creative Commons license is typically displayed at the bottom or the end of a work. Sometimes they have clickable icons, indicating the specific license covering the work. 

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Image credit: Creative commons license icons. https://pixabay.com/vectors/creative-commons-licenses-icons-by-783531/  CC BY

What Can I Do with a Creative Commons License?

You can apply a Creative Commons license to allow your work to be re-usable in certain ways and for specific purposes. Here's a handy chart showing each license and types of allowable uses:

 

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Image credit: Creative Commons licenses infographic. https://www.flickr.com/photos/48305871@N00/33350050260/  CC BY-SA 2.0

How Do I Get a Creative Commons License?

Visit the Creative Commons website and select Share Your Work. From there, you can choose the type of license you wish to apply by answering a few questions about how you wish your work to be used. Then you will be provided with the license. 

You can also share your work on a variety of platforms such as YouTube, FlickrVimeoPLOS, or MIT Courseware. These will help to distribute your work to a wider audience.