Collecting and processing literature is something you will often do during your studies. Other people’s material is usually copyrighted. So, make sure you know what you can and can’t do with resources created by others.

When using or reusing someone else’s work, you are always obliged to cite your sources. Good citation ensures that these works are traceable. The way you format your references is subject to strict rules within science, which differ according to discipline.

If you quote or paraphrase passages and ideas from other people’s work and present them as your own, you are committing plagiarism. Plagiarism is intellectual theft and is considered scientific misconduct. So, it is important to avoid doing this by accident.

• How to avoid plagarism?

During your studies, you will probably have to deal with intellectual property (IP) rights, including copyright, for instance when writing your thesis. The main rule here is that the student owns the copyright but there are exceptions. Check the bottom of the Intellectual Property page, which also provides a handy flowchart:

Dealing with confidential information

If your research involves personal data, e.g. on interviewees, you should handle them with discretion. Sometimes it is better to leave out (part of) the personal data if you want to make your thesis public.

• More on General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
• More on Privacy & Protection