How often have you not read the details of the fine print in a user agreement hurdle that is presented to you as you navigate through software demos, desk copy orders, online purchases, etc.?
At least one of our students has read through the user agreement in our Turnitin account, and unfortunately because of the complex, convoluted language, had some concerns about submitting their paper there. The paragraph that gave the most concern:
“With regard to papers submitted to the Site, You hereby grant iParadigms a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, world-wide, irrevocable license to reproduce, transmit, display, disclose, archive and otherwise use in connection with its Services any paper You submit to the Site whether or not originally submitted in connection with a specific class. This license shall survive the termination of the User Agreement. Any cessation of use of the Site shall not result in the termination of any license You grant herein to iParadigms.”
If you have students with similar concerns, you can assure them that Turnitin does not claim copyright on any papers submitted to the site. Students are still free to copyright their papers, and it would be a violation of that copyright for any party to prevent the student from profiting off of his copyrighted material.
Here are some third-party legal opinions on Turnitin and copyright:
1. Legal opinion on copyright: http://www.turnitin.com/static/pdf/us_Legal_Document.pdf
2. Judge Claude Hilton's opinion delivered in a summary judgment ruling on a student complaint: http://www.iparadigms.com/iParadigms_03-11-08_Opinion.pdf
2. Judge Claude Hilton's opinion delivered in a summary judgment ruling on a student complaint: http://www.iparadigms.com/iParadigms_03-11-08_Opinion.pdf
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