As an author, you will have a copyright in your dissertation. As with any other author, you can transfer these rights, or permit others to make use of your work. See our Publishing / Author Rights page for information on how copyright applies to you as an author.
Because copyright does not apply to facts or ideas, any facts or ideas generated by original research conducted by doctoral students is not subject to copyright. However, a doctoral students writeup or analysis of their research would be protected by copyright.
Using Copyrighted Works in Your Dissertation
You may wish to use someone else's copyrighted work in your dissertation. You will have to consider the requirements of copyright law, and whether an exception (or a license/grant of permission) permit you to make use of such works. This guide provides information about using copyrighted materials, and what exceptions may permit you to do so, including:
If no exception lets you use copyrighted material, you can also seek permission from the copyright holder to use the work.
While the Franklin University Copyright Policy does not apply to the author of a dissertation, it does give you a framework you can use to determine whether you can use materials created by a third party in your dissertation.
You should make sure to keep a copyright log, as discussed in the University's copyright policy, to track the basis of your use of third party materials in your dissertation.
Video: ETDS -- Copyright, Using the Works of Others
