Copying a medical text book

Discussion in 'Legal Issues' started by ipunkbali, Feb 23, 2009.

  1. #1
    Is this Okay to copy a text book into a blog? Im a nursing student, and rewriting my text book in a blog is really helping me to remember stuff. I used to rewrite and take a note on papers, but i was like... why not turn it into adsense income? when I check on google, the content is veryy unique, looks like nobody own it.

    Will someone sue me over this copyright? If they do, I can simply take the content off my blog, right?
     
    ipunkbali, Feb 23, 2009 IP
  2. Tulumbo

    Tulumbo Active Member

    Messages:
    712
    Likes Received:
    37
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    70
    #2
    you should try to alter the text so it is not easily recognizable
     
    Tulumbo, Feb 23, 2009 IP
  3. Lpe04

    Lpe04 Peon

    Messages:
    579
    Likes Received:
    15
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #3
    Haha, guess they could, but maybe wouldn't if your blog isn't really generating that much traffic, but if you start getting like 100,000 uniques a day, could stir up trouble. You could paraphrase it.
     
    Lpe04, Feb 23, 2009 IP
  4. jhmattern

    jhmattern Illustrious Member

    Messages:
    8,909
    Likes Received:
    794
    Best Answers:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    455
    #4
    It's absolutely illegal, and you definitely run the risk of being sued for copyright infringement (book publishers take it very seriously).
     
    jhmattern, Feb 24, 2009 IP
  5. BCRoller

    BCRoller Peon

    Messages:
    72
    Likes Received:
    0
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #5
    Yes, when it comes to copyrighted material you have to be more than just a little careful (as jhmattern said, book publishers take copyright infringement very seriously). However, you can use the information you found and use it to your advantage by simply "rewording" the text to make it "your own." Naturally, this will take more time to do then doing a simple 'copy and paste' but, in the long run, it will save you from what could very well become a major hassle. In addition, if you do decide to reword the text, make sure that you reword it enough to actually be considered as "reworded" (changing the 'and' word to the '&' sign is NOT going to cut it). Any text you decide to rewrite will have to actually be changed in such a way that the words 'become your own' while still giving the same meaning that you intended them to to begin with (sometimes when people re-arrange text they, unknowingly, end up changing the entire 'meaning' behind what they were originally trying to say). On the other hand, if you can find out who the original text belongs to, you can go ahead and ask for permission to reuse it "as is" and see what you get for an answer. Either way, I would NOT suggest using the 'copy and paste' technique, to do so could mean nothing but trouble for you, whether now or further down the road.
     
    BCRoller, Feb 24, 2009 IP
  6. jhmattern

    jhmattern Illustrious Member

    Messages:
    8,909
    Likes Received:
    794
    Best Answers:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    455
    #6
    Um, no, you can't. Rewording something does not make it your own. In fact, in the US (where the OP is located) that would constitute a derivative work, which is equally copyright infringement. Only the copyright holder has the right to authorize or create derivative works from the original. "Rewording" is still very much a copyright violation.

    Direct from the Copyright Office:

    And back to the OP, no, simply taking it off your blog later won't necessarily get you out of being sued. They don't even legally have to give you a chance to pull it down before suing you, and you can still be forced to pay a penalty or even damages (based on potential lost sales of the text book due to you making the info freely available) depending on whether you're sued in civil or criminal court (copyright infringement can fall under both).
     
    jhmattern, Feb 24, 2009 IP
  7. BCRoller

    BCRoller Peon

    Messages:
    72
    Likes Received:
    0
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #7
    Oops, I think you may have misunderstood what I was trying to say (which, after re-reading my "own" post, I can understand why). What I was trying to say (in my original post) is that it would be best for ipunkbali to actually research the subject of interest (through various avenues) and use his "research" (not specific text he has found) to form into words of his own. In otherwords, research the subject he wants to write about and then take whatever it is he has learned to make it into a learning/reading tool for someone else (not actually "rewording" any text, but taking the "knowledge" he has gained and putting "that" into text of his own). Do you know what I mean by this or am I still not getting what I'm trying to say out correctly? Either way, I seem to be 'muddle-mouthed' in trying to get my point across today so just know that I "totally" agree with you and that I apologize for any confusion I may have caused.

    Hey, it's only Monday (yawn), what can I say? lol

    Cheers :)
     
    BCRoller, Feb 24, 2009 IP