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The internet is a vast and invaluable tool packed with free information for writers and researchers. That makes your life as a writer easier, but that doesn´t mean that anything you see on the ethereal web is free for your taking. Copyright laws apply every bit as much to written and artistic works on the web. As an article author, you bear the responsibility for submitting only your own original work for whatever purpose your article is to serve.

On Copyright And Originality

Most of us learned the basics of copyright and plagiarism in grade school. The rule is, you never copy the work of another. While that rule works, copyright laws are complex and somewhat variable, creating ambiguity and gray areas from the writer´s perspective. Copyright laws govern the creator´s ability to control their work from the time of creation in physical form.

This includes writing and works of art, as well as works that may or may not have applied for copyright protection from a governing body. It does not protect an idea of an artistic work; that means anyone who wants to has the right to use your idea. Confused? You are not alone. Basically, as this applies to article writing, this means that you cannot copy something someone else has written, not even just for part of your article. So to write your article, you cannot just copy a paragraph from one and a paragraph from another until you´ve completed the topic. You are, however, allowed to use other works as research and reference.

• You may research other works for facts and information; you may note these and formulate them into a new article.

• You can summarize information given elsewhere, but unless the information is general in nature you need to attribute the source.

• You can quote portions of text and/or paraphrase information but you must give credit and cite your source. However, even with the protection of quoting and citation, you cannot use the works of others in whole or large part. A general, yet unofficial, rule of thumb is not to quote or paraphrase more than 5% of your article from one source.

Tips For Writing An Original Article

It certainly is sometimes difficult to figure out whether your writing might infringe on the rights of another. A few pointers can tip odds in your favor:

• Research 3-4 resources at minimum; this way, you know that no one person owns the information you are giving, and that the information you present will be well-researched and varied.

• Don´t use resources that are too similar; if an article sounds like it was reworded from one work, it very well may have been. This is particularly true on the internet where articles are permitted for free use and copied unscrupulously.

• Create a new angle; you can present old information originally if you do it with new flair. This way you present your own original ideas and you don´t fall into the trap of rewording someone else´s work.

• Write from your head; if you know a subject well from first hand experience, you are already an expert resource.

• Read up on copyright law and positions on plagiarism. The U.S. Library of Congress has taken great pains to clarify copyright law in an understandable way; there are several resources on the USLOC website located at Copyright.gov.

University plagiarism policies written for their students, such as those found on the Georgetown University website, are also a good resource as they´ve clarified what does and does not constitute plagiarism in understandable terms. In the end, the old Golden Rule to ´do unto others´ applies: if you wouldn´t want someone using your information in the way you are using theirs, chances are you are infringing on their rights. But the matter of copyright infringement goes far beyond moral obligation to legal protections and ethical responsibility as a writer, and if you ignore it, you could find yourself in some serious legal trouble. For details on our copyright rules, please refer to our FAQs.