Acknowledging
Images		 On this page
  • What's useable
  • If in doubt
  • How to acknowledge sources
  • Image sources
    • Any image on your page that is not your own creation must be identified as to source and be from a useable source; if not, then specific permission to use the image must be obtained and documented.

    What's useable without specific permission

    Sources that are useable without specific permission are those which state clearly that images can be freely used or can be be used for educational or for non-commercial purposes. See for example CGIAR Photo Gallery

    There is one important restriction: do not make use of images that require you to post an advertising logo for that source.

    As well as for photographs and diagrams, sources should be cited for background images, logos, clip art etc. Otherwise the implication is that you created it yourself. In general get such graphics from sites that offer them for Web work (e.g. http://www.free-clip-art.com) - do not copy them from a site where they are used within a regular Web page.

    If in doubt, ask or consider alternatives

    If in any doubt about whether you can use an image without asking, you must ask for permission to use it.

    For example, in a previous class some of the draft pages made use of images from http://www.webshots.com/ Looking at their Terms of Use, it appears that such use is limited to registered members. An owner of each image is indicated, and therefore would need to be consulted in order to make use one of these images on a Web page for this class.

    If it is diffcult to find useable images, consider deleting images or using alternative images. In many cases, it should be possible to locate someone at Dalhousie who would have appropriate images for your topic. (Ask your instructor for suggestions). You might be able to take your own photo. If it is a diagram that you wish to use, you could redraft it using a drawing program (or sketch and scan) and then state in the legend: " Legend for image; after so and so" giving the source - that is legitimate.

    If you are really intent on using an image taken from a Web site that does not state clearly that it can be used for educational or non-commercial purposes, then you should send a request to the Web Master or author and ask for permission to make use of the image. See Suggested Text.

    Once you receive permission, copy the original request and the reply into an e-mail, and forward that to the instructor (dp). Ensure that you receive an acknowledgement from the instructor for receipt of this information, and keep that on hand until final marks have been posted.

    How to acknowledge sources on your Web page

    We want to properly acknowledge images, but as much as possible without disrupting the flow of the page (i.e. without a lot of clutter).

    Following are some ways that the sources could be cited.

    1. For a photograph taken by yourself, include in the legend (Photograph by author), or if there is no legend and you do not want to interrupt the flow of the page, identify it as taken by yourself in a separate acknowledgements section.
    2. For a diagram prepared by yourself , include in the legend (Diagram by author),or if there is no legend and you do not want to interrupt the flow of the page, identify it as taken by yourself in a separate acknowledgements section.
    3. Where images come from a site that states clearly and unequivocally that the images can be used for educational or non-commercial purposes, you could state the source in small print below the image or below the legend to the image. The Source should be the site sponsor or author, and it should be an active link to the specific page on the site where the image is found. If an author is identified, cite the author.

      Sites that provide such images often have quite specific language about how they want the photos acknowledged; follow such requests precisely.

      Example:

      Flock of Snow Geese by a Farm
      (Source:USDA Photo by Erwin W. Cole )


      Bottlenose Whale
      Courtesy of K.P. Robinson

    4. Where you have sought and received specific permission to use an image, cite the person or organization below the image, but link to a separate page that opens up in a new window; on that page provide the information as shown in the Beaked Whale example at right. It should include the date on which the e-mail was sent to you by the owner of the image.

      Also forward a copy of your request and the reply to your instructor (dp).

    5. Where you have used a small image in a panel, or an icon and it would obviously disrupt the flow of the page or the esthetics to identify the source right there, you could add a section called Image Sources as on this page. See also Mouse Page example. If there were other types of acknowledgments that you wanted to include, the section might be called Acknowledgments and Image Sources

    6. You could use other schemes to indicate sources and acknowledge permissions to use images as long as the required information is provided.

    Image sources

    The flower icons used on this page are taken from FREE CLIP ART DOT COM (http://www.free-clip-art.com). Sources of other images are indicated with each image.
    Biology 2500 Web Literacy Class
    Dalhousie University, 2002

    Revised April 3, 2002