MEDEV

School of Medical Sciences Education Development

Typically, you will have generated most of your own resource, but may have included a photograph from a colleague or the Internet, or you don't recall where it is from, which you may be unsure or have forgotten about. It is important to think about each and every element.

For the resource that you are contemplating sharing/making open you should consider did you*:

• write all of the text (attributing short quotes from others, where appropriate) yourself without any edits/changes made by anyone else?
• draw all of the diagrams appearing in the resource?
• take any photographs appearing in the resource?
• write the script for and video and edit any of the movies appearing in the resource?
• write the script for and tape any audio played in the resource?
• perform in any video and the audio yourself (with no one else appearing)?
• design the visual appearance/layout/interface of the resource?
• did you* write the score/play the music in the resource?
• does your employer permit you to make your resources 'open'?

*or someone else employed by the same employer as you for whom creating the element would be considered a normal part of their job?

For example, a photography technician is employed for the purpose of taking photographs (copyright is likely to belong to your employer), but a porter is employed to mind estates (and copyright in their photographs, for example, is likely to be their own and you should clear copyright/get permission).

If you didn't create all the elements of your resource then you need to check that the licence permits you to use each an every element; seek permission for each element; or find an alternative. If in doubt, ask for permission. 

Note that you can embed URL links to other people's websites however it is a good idea to clearly indicate the owner of that site and the date that you included the link.