Use Images, Audio, and Video
Including images in your print document or adding images, audio, or video files to your electronic document can enhance its effectiveness. Use caution, however, when taking images and audio or video files from other sources. Simply copying a photograph or an audio or video file into your document might be a form of plagiarism.
One student writer carefully documented the source of the image she used in her informative essay. Because she was writing an academic essay — rather than a document intended for publication and wide distribution — she did not seek permission to use it. (In contrast, the publisher of this book sought and received permission to publish that image.)
If you are creating an electronic document, such as a Web page or a multimedia presentation, use the following guidelines to integrating digital illustrations:
- Make a link between your document and a document that contains an image, a sound clip, or a video clip — rather than copying the image and placing it in your document.
- If it isn’t possible or appropriate to create a link to another document, contact the owner of the image, sound clip, or video clip for permission to use it.
- If you cannot contact the owner, review the fair-use guidelines for guidance about using the material.
As you would for any sources you cite in your document, make sure you fairly present images, audio, or video and identify the author or creator.
