OER Workshop 1.3 linking and searching

OER Workshop One

As well as copyright and creative commons licences, OER Workshop One included guidance for using content which hasn’t been opened up for wider use. It can be acceptable to provide a link to materials so long the origin is cited, but doing this is not without potential problems. It is recommended you add a disclaimer such as

‘The content of this external website in the intellectual property of someone other than the University of Lincoln. You should not copy material without the permission of the copyright owner.

It is also useful to acknowledge that you cannot take responsibility for the validity of the content, or if the content is moved elsewhere in the site or taken away resulting in a broken link.

If you are linking to a collaborative site take a moment to check out the copyright and licence guidance for the site e.g.  You Tube or SlideShare. It will be complex but this in itself is an indicator of the complexity of copyright legislation. It also further emphasises the value of a creative commons licence which seeks to simplify and encourage the sharing process.

As the number of available OER increases so searching needs to be more strategic. A useful tool is the Google Advance Search function. The link to Advance Search may appear on your Google search page.  If you can’t see the link, as on the page below, key in the phrase Google Advanced Search to find the advanced search options.

Google Search Page


Advanced Search offers the facility to refine your search. Adding .ac.uk restricts content to HEIs.

Google Advanced Search Page


At the bottom of the page is Usage Rights criteria. Clicking on the downward arrow reveals a lists of options which will identify different creative commons licences for example free to use or share and free to use, share or modify. This can make a significant difference to the relevance of content returned.

Google Advanced Search screen


The next Team Six workshop will be held on 21st March 10.00-12.00 in Room 101 in the Library. This is looking at WordPress and will include a revision of creative content licences for anyone who missed this first time around. The workshop will be repeated on 28th March for those unable to make it on 21st.