Copyright and using images and illustrations
Copyright
Anyone who has created a piece of work, such as text, picture or music, is called the originator. Copyright gives the originator the right to decide how to use and spread their works. In Sweden you don't need to use the copyright symbol © to show that a piece of work is under protection. A work is automatically protected by copyright when a work that qualifies for protection is created. The copyright symbol rather serves as a reminder that copyright protection exists for the work.
The use of your own images
You have the copyright to the images, tables, photographs or figures that you create in your thesis. You decide how the images may be used and by whom. If you write the thesis with someone else, you share the copyright.
Someone else's images
If you want to use someone else's images, figures or tables in your thesis, you need to ask for the originator's permission. It is not allowed to make changes on other people's images, tables or figures, for example, by translating text into them if you do not have the author's permission to do so. If the image is in a book or article, it is possible to contact the publisher who usually has the copyright. You can contact us at the library for help with this.
Find images that you are allowed to use
Most images are protected by copyright, which restricts their reuse. As a student or employee at a university, you can use copyrighted images in powerpoint presentations in class, thanks to the university agreement Links to an external site.. NB! However, you are not allowed to use copyrighted images without permission when publishing your work. A solution to this could be to use images that are published with a Creative Commons license that allows publication within the given context.
Creative Commons Links to an external site. (CC) is a non-profit organization that offers creators, researchers and other authors of texts, images, artistic works or sounds to facilitate those who want to share their works - in whole or in part. Images and other material labeled with Creative Commons licenses are still copyrighted, but may be used and distributed with various predefined restrictions.
Image databases with Creative Commons-licenses
- Servier Medical Art Links to an external site. - French image database with over 3000 high-resolution medical illustrations, where it is permitted to use and process the images for e.g. powerpoint presentations and scientific publications such as essays and articles. They are under a Creative Commons license, the terms of which must be followed Links to an external site. when using the images.
- Openverse Links to an external site. - Search service from Creative Commons containing more than 600 million records of mainly images and audio. The images either have a CC license or have no copyright and are in the public domain.
- Wikimedia Commons Links to an external site. - In Wikimedia Commons there are around 80 million images, videos and audio that are free to use. The material is under a CC license, the GNU Free Documentation License or has no copyright and is in the public domain.
Image databases through Lund University license
- Visible Body - Database with images and animations of anatomy and physiology. The material may be used for e.g. PowerPoint presentations, but permission is required to use images in publications. Visible Body is available to students and researchers at Lund University.
- ClinicalKey Student- ClinicalKey Student includes a large number of high-resolution images that are copyright-approved for use in presentations, videos, and summaries of common diseases and topics. ClinicalKey Student is available to students and researchers at Lund University.
Creative Commons licenses clearly state which rights and restrictions apply for their use. There is no standard for how the source of CC-licensed images should be mentioned, but it is recommended that you include the name and link to the image, the name of the author and indicate which CC license it has. Here is an example of how you can do the caption and cite it in the reference list if you use the Vancouver style of referencing.
Figure 1. Cerveau zones (3). CC BY 3.0.
In the reference list:
- Servier. Cerveau zones [picture]. N. D. [cited 2022 Mar 18]. Available from: https://smart.servier.com/smart_image/brain-14/ Links to an external site. (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.sv# Links to an external site.
Apply for permission to use an image
If you want to use an illustration from a course book, you first need to apply for permission. Write to the author or publisher and ask for permission. Let them know how you intend to use the image and where it is intended to be published (eg in an essay or article). Use your student email to show your connection to Lund University and remember to save the e-mail conversation. You may risk legal penalties if you used copyrighted material without permission. If you have received a positive message to use an image, you can write Used with permission in the caption.
Using an image with permission
Here's an example of what it could look like using a licensed image.
Figure 2. Lundagård (4). Used with permission.
In the reference list:
- Mattisson R. Lundagård [photo]. 2017 [cited 2022 Mar 31].