Blogging Etiquette for Citation & Attribution

by G.D. Palmer
Using good etiquette can encourage other bloggers to send you traffic.

Using good etiquette can encourage other bloggers to send you traffic.

Thinkstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images

The interactive nature of blogging encourages us to repost others' work, whether it's in the form of informative posts, videos, photographs or other media. However, material you find on the Internet isn't necessarily copyright-free. Both copyright law and good blogging etiquette say you can't post other people's material without permission and attribution. Even when you do cite the original author, you should avoid using the whole work in your own post.

Fair Use

In the United States, copyright law provides for fair use of copyrighted material by others, but only for the purposes of reporting, teaching or commentary, according to the US Copyright Office. You can use part of someone else's article or a small version of their image if you are writing a news article, discussing the work or using it in a scholarly paper or lecture. Use only the relevant part of the work; copying the whole piece takes your post outside the realm of fair use and into the realm of copyright infringement.

Attribution

Even if you use copyrighted material from someone else's blog post or website and it qualifies as fair use, you should still attribute the material. Holly the Librarian, a literary blogger, recommends that you give the creator's name, if it's available, the title of the blog or site and a link back to the original. If you're reposting a picture, comic or other piece of artwork, post a small thumbnail version of the piece. Then create a clickable link for the image that leads back to the originating source.

Creative Commons

Some creators have begun releasing work under Creative Commons licenses, which allow for a wider range of use than traditional copyright. Never assume a work is Creative Commons unless you see it specifically listed as such. According to Creative Commons, the major licenses include Attribution Only, Attribution-ShareAlike and Attribution-No Derivatives. There are also non-commercial versions of each of these licenses that allow adjustments and reposting as long as you don't make money off of them.

Warning

Even if you use only part of the work and correctly cite it, you can never use a copyrighted picture, blog post or other creative work for commercial purposes without the written permission of the person who created it. Selling T-shirts, prints, e-books or other publications containing any part of the work is considered copyright infringement, even if you alter the piece before you publish it.

Considerations

When in doubt, ask the writer or artist if you can use and link back to their work. Many creators are happy to allow reposts with the correct attribution. Some may even allow you to use their work in your publications. Failure to ask first could lead to a bad reputation among bloggers or even legal action.

About the Author

G.D. Palmer is a freelance writer and illustrator living in Milwaukee, Wis. She has been producing print and Web content for various organizations since 1998 and has been freelancing full-time since 2007. Palmer holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in writing and studio art from Beloit College in Beloit, Wis.

Photo Credits

  • Thinkstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images
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