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Scholarly content and noteworthy events are key to staying current and transparent when it comes to copyright laws and the peer review process

Are You Protecting Your Research?

By Elizabeth Leber on Sep 13, 2017
image of copyright laws
According to Prof. Tom Kwanya, "Peer review is a process of validating scholarly works as being original, of high quality and contributing new knowledge."

While peer review can seem like a routine process, it is conducted to prevent plagiarism and to preserve the copyrightability of works. IGI Global and other reputable scholarly publishers provide transparency in their peer review process, while also participating in global events such as Peer Review Week to reinforce the importance of copyright laws associated with peer review.

Profs. Adeyinka Tella (University of Ilorin, Nigeria) and Tom Kwanya (The Technical University of Kenya, Kenya) are editors of the title Handbook of Research on Managing Intellectual Property in Digital Libraries, which is a pivotal reference source for the latest scholarly research on strategies in which digital libraries engage in the management of increasing digital intellectual property to protect both the users and the creators of the resources. Their expertise is critical in the academic community and directly relates to copyright laws and the peer review process.

But why are copyright laws so important and what impact do they have on researchers?

Tella explaines, "It is important to note that copyright protects the way an idea is presented, rather than an idea itself; for instance, if it is committed to paper or other piece of media. So, what makes having copyright protection so important? Surely if it happens automatically you don’t have to worry about it? While it’s true that your work gets automatic protection, that doesn’t mean that people won’t copy your work for their own gain. Your copyright may be worth more than you think, so it’s important to properly consider the reasons for keeping on top of your property."

Kwanya elaborates on Tella's points, importantly noting that copyright laws can differ on an international level, which can mean that not all of one's research is protected. "[C]opyright laws are national or territorial. Therefore, they vary from one region to the other." Kwanya explains, "Although the basic principles of copyright laws are generally similar, differences exist in terms of the length of the protection; definition of copyrightable works; categories of legal persons who may claim copyright over specific works; registration processes; exemptions; and procedures for seeking redress for copyright violation."

Copyright laws in the peer review process and in general are very complex and must be managed properly to be most beneficial. Not only do publishers need to have a full understanding, but it is important for contributors to also be well-informed and abide by the set laws.

As Kwanya explains, "Copyright laws are the best mechanism for determining originality. Thus, copyright is the foundation on which peer review is anchored. In this way, copyright laws standardise the criteria for peer review results. Such standards as well as a double-blind approach ensure objectivity which ultimately keeps the process ethical."

While there are individuals and organizations that are unethical, the consequences for being uninformed still holds the same burden when it comes to copyright laws; thus, getting involved and informed is invaluable.

"It might seem as though avoiding copyright infringement should be as simple as not taking someone else's work and claiming it as your own, but copyright laws offer broad protections to copyright holders," says Tella. "Business owners unfamiliar with copyright laws may inadvertently violate another person's copyright, and this violation can carry stiff penalties." (Thompson, V. 2009).

Learn more about IGI Global’s peer review process and publish with us to ensure your originality is protected by an ethical, law-abiding publisher. Be sure to also follow Peer Review Week as it unravels on social media. #PeerRevWk17
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Caroline Campbell
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(717) 533-8845, ext. 144
www.igi-global.com/
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