Lets say I write some papers that were initially assigned as school work are there any legal issues with me posting them online after they have been graded? What about posting other peoples papers, assuming of course that I have their permission to do so.
This is a UK perspective, but a lot of colleges and universities own the copyright of any work you produce - so you wouldn't be allowed to repost the work. Also, a lot of grades are only provisional and not confirmed until the end of the academic year. You wouldn't want your work online - if someone else copied it and were guilty of plagiarism you'd be equally liable as a supplier. US perspective might be different.
I would say to wait until the year is over before you post anything that was graded. It would be hard to talk your way out of plagiarism charges if they stumble across it. From a US perspective on the copyright, it's foggy. I do not believe that turning the paper in for grading constitutes a transfer of ownership. There is actually a huge legal issue and possible battle with turnitin.com for keeping a database of students' work because the students should still have copyright for their work. If you really want to post it may I suggest that you rewrite it to pass copyscape? It shouldn't be that hard.
In the US at least...I think that the student owns the copyright...one professor told me that he always simply put the copyright symbol and his name I've been publishing my own papers on my blog for a while...However, I find that they work best when I rewrite them for the web. Like someone said though, it is probably best if you wait until the end of the term or something before posting.
In Canada when you write something it is yours, you own the copyright. Even after distribution you retain full rights, you cannot even legally sign off your authorship.
I rememeber at my school. One student with foresight made sure to write papers that fit together. When she graduated, each of those term papers became chapters, and she published the book. A school might get upset if you are selling your papers, but they can't say anything about you using the same information in different forms. I have found, as I said, that you need to restructure the data anyway to be of use on the web.
even if you do , always give the credits and say its only for personal use and it should look like as if you are earning no money from it