Henley-Putnam's Doctor of Strategic Security Subject Guide

Dissertation Copyright FAQ 

• Who owns the copyright to my dissertation? 

Once your dissertation is written, you own the copyright.  When you submit your dissertation to the ProQuest ETD system, you give them non-exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, display, and transmit your dissertation (you still own the copyright).  NAU also retains non-exclusive rights to your dissertation. 

• What if I’m using material created by someone else in my dissertation? 

You must make sure that any information you use from outside sources is attributed in your dissertation and is used properly within the confines of fair use guidelines (please see: http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html).  Any information you want to use that does not fall within fair use guidelines can only be used once you’ve obtained permission directly from the copyright holder.  Images, long quotations, whole journal articles, figures, charts, etc., typically cannot be included in your dissertation unless you’ve gotten permission.  Start early so that you have time to track down publishers and copyright holders if you will need to request permission.  If you can’t get permission for something, the safest thing to do to protect yourself is not include it in your dissertation. 

• Should I register the copyright on my dissertation? 

NAU recommends it although the act of writing your dissertation gives you copyright of it.  If your copyright is ever infringed upon, you retain greater benefits if the copyright has been registered.  When you submit your dissertation via the ProQuest ETD system, they will give you the option to have them register copyright for you (for a fee).  You can register your copyright yourself via the US Copyright Office at a reduced rate (http://www.copyright.gov). If you choose to not register your copyright when you submit your dissertation, you can do it later. 

• Do I need to add an embargo to my dissertation submission in ProQuest? 

ProQuest gives you several options when you submit your dissertation.  You can make your dissertation available immediately to view within the dissertation databases or you can embargo your work, meaning it won’t be available to researchers for a period of 6 months, 1 year, etc.   It is best practice to embargo work if doing so will protect still-living persons or sensitive material.  Some researchers believe publishers will not be interested in publishing a work that has previously been made available online – data does not seem to back that up.  If you are concerned that making your dissertation available via a ProQuest database might impact your ability to subsequently publish, talk with your advisor or contact the publications where you might like to contribute your work to determine if your dissertation should be embargoed. 

Additional information to check out: 

Crews, K.D. (2013). Copyright and your dissertation or thesis: Ownership, fair use, and your rights and responsibilities.  Retrieved from http://media2.proquest.com/documents/copyright_dissthesis_ownership.pdf 

University of Michigan Copyright Office (2010). A graduate student’s guide to copyright: open access, fair use, and permissions.  Retrieved from: http://www.lib.umich.edu/files/services/copyright/Dissertations.pdf 

United States Copyright Office (n.d.). Fair use.  Retrieved from http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html 

United States Copyright Office (n.d.).  How to investigate the copyright status of a work.  Retrieved from http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ22.pdf