Note: These best practices can also be applied when attributing content under other types of open licences, such as:
Open Government Licence - Canada
Unsplash License
Pexels License
Pixabay License
Note: These best practices can also be applied when attributing content under other types of open licences, such as:
Open Government Licence - Canada
Unsplash License
Pexels License
Pixabay License
You will recognize content under a Creative Commons license in one of three ways:
1. The button with the CC logo and conditions icons:
2. The long written out version:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Licence
3. The short version:
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
For more information about what the six licences mean, consult About The Licenses.
The basic condition of all Creative Commons licenses is Attribution (BY), thus the importance of knowing how to attribute content available under a CC licence.
A good rule of thumb A good rule of thumb is to use the acronym
TASL , which stands for Title, Author, Source, Licence
Title - What is the name of the material?
If a title is provided, include it. You could also use the name of a file. If no title or file name is provided, add a descriptive title (e.g. image, photo, illustration, etc.).
Author - Who created the material and owns the right to it?
Name the author(s) of the material in question. It could be a person or an entity like an organization or a company, or even a pseudonym (like a username).
Source - Where did you find the content?
Provide the source of the content so others can access it too. This is usually a URL or a hyperlink where the material resides.
Licence - How can you use it?
While you are able to use the content for free because it is under a CC licence, you also need to indicate that licence in your attribution. Name the licence and provide a link to it.
Ex.: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ for CC BY 4.0
Note about versions: 4.0 refers to the latest version of the licences, which are applicable internationally. Previous versions were more location specific but are still valid. Make sure to refer to the correct version in your attributions.
Here is a photo.
This is an ideal attribution:
"Cat" by Tom Houslay is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
Because:
Title: "Cat"
Author: Author: Tom Houslay (with link to photographer’s profile on Flickr)
Source: Flickr (the title of the image is linked to the original Flickr page)
Licence: CC BY NC 2.0 (with a link to licence deed)
This is a good attribution for material you modified slightly:
"Cat" by Tom Houslay is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 / Desaturated from original
Because:
Title, Author, Source and Licence are all noted.
Modification is indicated: “Desaturated from original”.
This is a good attribution for material from which you created a derivative work (i.e. an adaptation):
This work, “Presents for kitty,” is a derivative of "Cat" by Tom Houslay, used under CC BY-NC 2.0 and Photo by Markus Spiske, used under Pixabay License. “Presents for kitty” is licensed under CC BY NC 4.0 by Mélanie Brunet.
Because:
Original Title, Author, Source and Licence are all noted.
Derivative is indicated.
New author and licence of the derivative work are also indicated.
When you are creating a derivative or an adaptation, this new work acquires its own copyright and therefore you will add your own Creative Commons licence to it. Use the CC License Chooser to select the appropriate licence for your needs and context.
Best practice is generally to add the attribution as close as possible to the content being reproduced, for example in the caption under or next to an image. But this can depend on the medium with which you are working.
Video:
Slides:
Audio file:
This guide is an adaptation of Creative Commons, Best practices for attribution, Creative Commons Wiki, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
All Creative Commons Icons from Creative Commons, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
©Mélanie Brunet and Catherine Lachaîne , Unless otherwise noted, the content of this guide is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.