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Discovery Seminar - The History of Cancer - Taliaferro-Smith - Fall 2024

This guide is for students in The History of Cancer Discovery Seminar at Oxford College.

Infographics

Searching for and Using Images

Getting started

Search strategies for finding images

When searching for images, the search tool you are using typically searches the text that accompanies an image (e.g. the image's upload date, title, tags, photographer name, or its alternative text). This text is also referred to as an image's metadata. An image can have little metadata, making it more difficult to find, or rich and descriptive metadata, which tends to make it easier to locate.

As you search, take a look at some of your results, paying close attention to surrounding text, tags, dates and location. Are there any keywords you should also employ to find similar images? Are there keywords that are returning images you do not find useful? Are there tags you can click on to view similar images?

Ethical and legal considerations

Usage rights and permissions

Before searching for an image, consider what you will be using it for. This will help you identify the type of usage rights you need in order to legally use the image in a given context.

You can ask yourself questions like:

  • Do I plan on modifying the image?
  • Am I using it strictly for educational purposes, and if so will it be shared outside of the classroom (e.g. on a public website)?
  • Will I be using this image for commercial purposes?
  • Will it be decorative or a key element of the work it will be integrated in?

Considering your intended use should inform your search strategy and image selection.

Why cite?

To help ensure that you are using images both legally and ethically, use them in compliance with copyright law and usage guidelines and cite their author.

  • Citing allows viewers to see where the image came from, while giving recognition to the author of the work.
  • We recommend citing images created by others, but also those you create yourself.
  • If taking your own photos, be sure to request permission from the people you would like to have in the photo. If they are minors, you MUST request permission from a parent or guardian.

Icons are from The Noun Project and shared under Creative Commons (CC BY): Copyright by ArmOkay, TH; legal by Made x Made, AU; Public Domain by iconbox89, ID and Creative Commons by Austin Condiff, US.

  Copyright

What is copyright and what works are copyrighted?

Copyright is a form of protection grounded in the U.S. Constitution and granted by law for original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression. Copyright covers both published and unpublished works.

Examples of copyrightable works include:

  • Literary works

  • Musical works, including any accompanying words

  • Dramatic works, including any accompanying music

  • Pantomimes and choreographic works

  • Pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works

  • Motion pictures and other audiovisual works

  • Sound recordings, which are works that result from the fixation of a series of musical, spoken, or other sounds

  • Architectural works

These categories should be viewed broadly for the purpose of registering your work. For example, computer programs and certain “compilations” can be registered as “literary works”; maps and technical drawings can be registered as “pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works.”

U.S. Copyright Office. (n.d.). Copyright Basics. [PDF] Retrieved from https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ01.pdf

Digital media, copyright and other usage rights

Source: U.S. Copyright Office. [U.S. Copyright Office]. (2019, October 30). Copyright on the Internet [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/F_8hKfVgwzg

When should I seek permission from the copyright owner?

*See the Creative Commons images page for more information.

Flowchart by Anne Le-Huu Pineault, information adapted from : University of Illinois Library. (2020, August 7). Home . Copyright for Graduate Students LibGuide: Theses and Dissertations. https://guides.library.illinois.edu/copyrightforgradstudents (CC BY 4.0)

​  Fair Use

Tips

  • Fair use is a limitation on a copyright owner's ability to pursue copyright infringement. Under fair use, you can use a work that is copyright-protected without obtaining the permission of the copyright owner.
  • Intending to use a work under fair use? Perform a fair use assessment each time and keep a copy in your records.

What is fair use?

Source: U.S. Copyright Office. [U.S. Copyright Office]. (2019, October 30). Fair Use [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/IFhF_tHrj4s

Fair use assessment

Four factors

Using a work under fair use does not protect you from being sued for copyright infringement. Fair use is determined by a judge on a case-by-case basis. Each time you plan to use a work under fair use, performing a fair use assessment is a best practice. Here are the four factors considered when determining if a use is fair:

 

Assessment tools

Thinking of using a work under fair use? Review the Is it a fair use? infographic created by the Cornell University Library (CC BY) to get an overview of the elements considered to determine whether each of the four fair use factors leans toward or against fair use in a given context. Then, use the Fair Use Evaluator (online tool) or Fair Use Checklist (worksheet) to perform an assessment.

Fair Use Evaluator by Michael Brewer & ALA Office for Information Technology Policy (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)
Fair Use Checklist [PDF] by Kenneth D. Crews (formerly of Columbia University) and Dwayne K. Buttler (University of Louisville) (CC BY 4.0)
​  Public Domain

What is public domain?

The term “public domain” refers to creative materials that are not protected by intellectual property laws such as copyright, trademark, or patent laws. The public owns these works, not an individual author or artist.

How do works fall into the public domain?

  • Copyright typically expires 70 years after the death of its author
  • The copyright owner failed to follow copyright renewal rules
  • It was placed in the public domain deliberately by the copyright owner (also called ”dedication”)
  • Copyright law does not protect this type of work.

Stim, R. (n.d.). Welcome to the Public Domain. Retrieved from https://fairuse.stanford.edu/overview/public-domain/welcome/ (CC BY-NC 3.0)

 Source: U.S. Copyright Office. [U.S. Copyright Office]. (2019, December 18). What is Public Domain? [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/PMp_-OX15Jc

Finding public domain images

  • The Met Collection 
  • HathiTrust Digital Library
    HathiTrust is a large-scale collaborative repository of digital content from research libraries including content digitized via the Google Books project and Internet Archive digitization initiatives, as well as content digitized locally by libraries.
  • Unsplash (Public domain)
    Unsplash is a commercial site that offers a selection of public domain images.
​  Creative Commons

What are Creative Commons Licenses?

 Source: University of Guelph Library. [U of G Library]. (2018, September 21). What are Creative Commons Licenses [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/srVPLrmlBJY (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) 

Four Creative Commons license elements

BY – Credit must be given to the creator
NC – Only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted
SA – Adaptations must be shared under the same terms [share alike]
ND – No derivatives or adaptations of the work are permitted  

Creative Commons. (n.d.). About CC Licenses. Creative Commons. https://creativecommons.org/about/cclicenses/ (CC BY 4.0)

Finding Creative Commons images

Always assume that an image, video, or audio file posted on the web can't be used without permission of the creator unless it has a license that states otherwise.

To find images available through Creative Commons and other licenses:

  • You can use images from websites dedicated to making images available for use, such as The Noun Project, Pexels, Pixabay, or Unsplash.
  • You can use images in the public domain, from art collections and digitized content. Examples include:
    • The Met Collection
      • View thousands of public domain artworks that are part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collections.
    • HathiTrust Digital Library
      • HathiTrust is a large-scale collaborative repository of digital content from research libraries including content digitized via the Google Books project and Internet Archive digitization initiatives, as well as content digitized locally by libraries.
  • You can utilize search engines that allow filtering by license, including:
​  Infographic Tips

1. Consider the purpose of your infographic. Match the design to your content, not the other way around.

Infographics can easily become too busy if you attempt to put too much information or too many graphics on the page. Consider the main takeaways you want for your viewer and make sure that information is featured clearly and prominently.

2. Follow good design practices.

If the viewer is distracted by your design choices they won't be able to focus on the information contained in your infographic. Don't use more than three fonts on the page, use images in the same art style, and make sure to include empty space in your design. For more design tips, read this short article by Adobe Express.

3. Don't use images or content you don't have rights to.

This can be annoying when making designs, but it's important to follow ethical practices when using images and content on the web. Always assume that an image, video, or audio file posted on the web can't be used without permission of the creator unless it has a license that states otherwise. For more information and help, review the "Fair Use", "Public Domain", and "Creative Commons" tabs on this guide.

4. Make use of tools for creating infographics.

Don't work from scratch if you don't want to! There are many free tools and templates available to help you easily design and share infographics. Check out some of these resources: Canva, Piktochart, or Venngage. Remember that you can make excellent infographics without paying for subscriptions! For help or more resources, ask your librarian.