Education

Citation management software saves your time by helping you keep track of the articles, books and other resources you use, and helps you instantly format your bibliographies into the citation style of your choosing.  On this page, you'll find information about two of the most popular citation management tools, EndNote and RefWorks.

NOTE* Desktop software for EndNote can be purchased at the Tech Hub (formerly Wired Out)

What is fair use?

Fair use is a limitation on the copyright holder's exclusive rights and provides that some uses of copyrighted materials do not infringe copyright. A finding of fair use is determined through the analysis and application of the four fair use factors:

1. the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
2. the nature of the copyrighted work;
3. the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and
4. the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.

How do I know if my intended use is within the limits of fair use?

Conduct a fair use analysis to weigh the four factors for your use. These resources can help frame your analysis: 

• Follow the Four Factors of Fair Use: A video about using a fair use checklist to help conduct a fair use analysis
• Columbia University Libraries Fair Use Checklist: A printable fair use checklist
• OSU Health Sciences Library Fair Use Checklist: An interactive version of the fair use checklist

Questions about Fair Use?

Contact Copyright Services at 614-688-5849 or libcopyright@osu.edu.