Using Images Responsibly

Adding pictures to your PowerPoint, Prezi, or Keynote can help make your presentation come alive, but did you know that just like you need to cite ideas or quotes that you use in your project, you should cite these images as well? And unlike text sources where you can use a few sentences or ideas under the terms of fair use, you always use the whole image which is not allowable by fair use standards--so you need to find images whose creators allow use by the public. These images are gathered under the term "creative commons."

FairyFindings 2010

While searching Google Images is so easy, there's a website that makes finding Creative Commons Images just as easy. It's called CC Search at search.creativecommons.org. This service collects images which the creators have chosen to make available for the public's use.

How do you search CC Search and cite your findings?

Step 1: Go to CC Search. In most cases, you'll want to uncheck the two options under the search box (unless you plan to sell your work or you want to change the images you find). Choose your search engine. Do your image search as you would normally.

Step 2: Select an image you'd like to use. In the big black box, look for "Visit Page" and click that box. You want to check the terms of use to make sure it's actually a creative commons image. This takes you to the original image's page--any additional information on the terms of use for the image. In Wikimedia it's under "Licensing"; DeviantArt puts it under the "Details" tab; Flicker puts it in the right sidebar under "Additional Information."

Step 3: Once you've verified that you can use the image, right-click to copy it to your document or to save it and insert it later (Saving is good in case you accidentally delete it.) Also make note of the URL from the address bar.

Step 4: Go to your document. If you've copied the image, right-click to paste the image where you'd like it. If you've saved it, use your insert function to add a picture.

Step 5: Now, you need to cite it. The standard practice is to include the author and year if you can find it and create a hyperlink with that text which links back to the original website.

David Tedrow 2010

Repeat these steps as needed for each of your images. It is a few more steps than just copying from Google Images, but you're now crediting the creator of the images, providing a way to find the image again, and meeting all the standards for using images responsibly.

Published 8/20/2013