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ESL forum >
Concerning worksheets > Reported ws
Reported ws
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aguniaa
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Reported ws
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Hi everyone,
I really think this site is great and I really love it, but there �s just one thing that frustrates me.
My ws was reported again as stolen, and it is not. The text I �m using of course is from a book, because I �m not a writer. And lots of people take their texts from books. All the exercises I included are NOT stolen from the book, because in this chapter there were like two exercises to the text and they are not in my ws. They are all mine.
If you are going to report a ws please first check the book, and then report because you accuse people of sth they didn �t do.
I just hope it will not be removed.
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14 May 2009
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sazzag
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Hi Aguniaa.
Your worksheets are really beautiful  However, I think you might want to consider using different texts-- eg finding ones on the internet or using non-esl books.
The problem with using texts from well-known esl books is that many teachers here have seen the text before in the book and so wrongly assume you have just copied and pasted. Also as that material has been selected especially for esl books some people might feel that it is too easy to just re-write or re-do the questions rather than finding an "original--non .esl" text yourself.
I �m just trying to explain how I think other people might feel and explain why I think they might have reported your worksheets. Otherwise I think you might have the same problem over and over.
Good Luck.
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14 May 2009
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Vickiii
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Hi aquiniaa,
The thing about copyright - is that yes you can use texts and then add your own content. To make it your own - adapt, freely.
BUT
You can not use esl texts as this puts your work in direct competition with the authors.
Maybe you could just upload the questions and exercise part and reference it to the book.
Or
You could use text that is from a non-esl source - copy and paste and then make up your own exercises.
I hope this helps. Good Luck
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14 May 2009
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mena22
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Hi! Good morning to you all. Aguniia has only used a text from a an English publisher textbook, the rest is her own work, so I really think there shouldn �t be a probkem with her (fantastic, let me add) worksheet.
I was not aware of the copyrigh rules referred to by vickiii, but I can understand them because those books are being sold all over the worlsd for ESL students.
Now what I would like to know if the same applies for National publishers, because we all use texts taken from textbooks, which in turn were taken from the Net, magazines or other sources.
If that so happens, I must delete 80 per cent of my reading comprehension worksheets, because I took the texts from English textbooks by Portuguese Publishers, which, of course, are only sold in my country. I don �t understand much of copyright laws, but we use material from books, magazines, you name it, and no one has ever questioned us, precisely because we give credit to the authors. Moreover, many of the books where we take texts from are no longer available in the market. I am talking here in the first person, but I �m afraid ESLprintable �s reading worksheets collection would disappear if those copyright laws applied also to national publishers.
I would really appreciate if you could clarify us about the issue, because I really don �t like to think I �m infringing the law.
A nice day to you all.
mena |
14 May 2009
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Carla Horne
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I have really been thinking about this. All English students in high school have to write a research paper, and all quotations and PARAPHRASES must have a citation that includes a page number. Should we follow this rule that comes from MLA: the Modern Language Association?
I �m not a writer or researcher either, so I really need these texts for high school students because my students have to pass all the standardized tests that the native speakers take.
What does everybody think of this idea?
Carla |
14 May 2009
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alien boy
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Actually, when it comes down to �fair use� you can use material from almost anywhere - including other ESL related textbooks, movies, music & images. The key is whether or not it infringes upon the earning capacity of the copyright holder & also whether you have entered into a binding user agreement with regard to the content usage.
In addition, most countries in the world use �fair use� as outlined in Wikipedia. International application of �fair use � is generally applied as per the American model quoted. One notable exception to this is Japan. Currently any Japanese copyrights do not allow for �fair use � in any way shape or form. This is, however, under review & may change anytime...
The problem with mes English (& some of the other web sites) is that by using material available on the internet & publishing items (even �not for profit �, like here) is that it does present a conflict both economically - the internet is their prime �location � for sales purposes - & the user agreement that is attached when you use their materials. Another possible problem is, I believe, that mes English.com is also Japan based (but I might be wrong there, as I haven�t checked the site out fully). EnglishRaven.com has similar limitations on usage.
So, back to printed material... unless your ESL resource is from Japan you are unlikely to be infringing copyright unless you take the item verbatim & do not include a significant amount of additional work &/or material of your own devising.
Kind regards,
AB
P.S. one of the �other strings to my bow� is a stint in copyright related areas in confirming advertising copy & contract veracity in addition to a little university study in the subject.
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14 May 2009
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