Copyright and your thesis / e-thesis

The version of your thesis examined by your examiners is not the same thing as the openly available e-thesis deposited in the repository.

Key point: material that may be acceptable in the examination copy may still need permission, redaction or another approach before it can be made openly available online.

This is why it is important to think about copyright early, not just at the point of final submission.

Your thesis may include material created by other people, such as:

• quotations
• images
• figures
• tables
• maps
• charts
• music examples
• extracts from published papers or books

You may be able to include this material where:

• copyright has expired
• a licence allows reuse, such as a Creative Commons licence
• a copyright exception is likely to apply
• the rights holder has given permission

Do not assume: because a work is available online, in the Library, or in a published article, it does not automatically follow that you can reproduce it in an openly available e-thesis.

Access through the Library, a database or a licence does not by itself mean the material can be included in an openly available e-thesis.

UK copyright law includes some exceptions that may help in research and examination contexts, but these are limited and context-specific.

Fair dealing may help with some quotation, criticism, review, private study or non-commercial research. If you are relying on an exception, use only what is needed and acknowledge the source unless there is a specific reason why that is not possible.

Take extra care with the e-thesis version: an openly available repository copy is a public online output. That means a use that may feel defensible in an examination copy may still need a more cautious approach before open deposit.

If you are unsure whether a particular use is likely to be covered, ask for advice.

If permission is needed, start early.

Do not leave copyright clearance until the end of your thesis: rights holders may take time to respond, may refuse permission, or may not respond at all.

When asking permission:

• be clear about exactly what material you want to use
• explain that the thesis will be deposited in an open access institutional repository
• keep copies of all correspondence and permissions
• do not assume that no reply means permission

If you are asked to pay a fee, seek advice before doing anything further.

You should acknowledge third-party material clearly and consistently.

A good credit should identify the source and rights position of the material. Depending on the type of content and the licence, this may include the author, title, source, copyright holder, URL, licence, and a note that permission was obtained where relevant.

For images, figures and similar material, include the credit in the figure caption or legend where possible.

If material is reused under a Creative Commons licence, make sure you follow the licence conditions.

If your thesis includes work you have already published, do not assume you can reproduce the published version automatically.

Check whether you still hold the copyright, whether your publishing agreement allows thesis reuse, and whether any permission or acknowledgement is required.

Take extra care with the openly available e-thesis version. A publisher may allow inclusion in the examined thesis but place conditions on open online deposit.

If you are unsure, seek advice before final submission

If third-party material cannot lawfully be made openly available in the repository, you may need to provide a redacted version of your thesis.

Redaction means removing or obscuring the specific material that cannot be made openly available. This is often more appropriate than restricting access to the whole thesis.

If the material is so central to the thesis that redaction would make the repository version unusable, you may need to discuss another approach.

Seek advice before making redactions so that the thesis remains coherent and the right versions are prepared.

If you need guidance on research degree regulations and processes, thesis submission, formatting requirements, embargo request procedures, forms, or final deposit, see Research Degrees.

An embargo delays public access to the e-thesis for a defined period.

An embargo is not a substitute for copyright permission in every case. If the problem is that specific third-party material cannot be made openly available, redaction may be more appropriate than restricting the whole thesis.

Embargoes may also arise for other reasons, such as publication plans, commercial sensitivity or contractual restrictions. If you think an embargo may be needed, discuss this as early as possible.

If you need guidance on research degree regulations and processes, thesis submission, formatting requirements, embargo request procedures, forms, or final deposit, see Research Degrees.

Using AI tools does not remove copyright or licence restrictions.

Do not upload subscription content, unpublished third-party material, student work, confidential information, or material you do not have the right to reuse.

If you are using AI tools while writing or preparing your thesis, continue to apply the same copyright and licence checks that would apply without AI.

See also: Copyright and AI