Creative Commons Licenses

Giving proper credit is central to using Creative Commons–licensed materials.

This page explains the difference between scholarly citation and Creative Commons attribution, and outlines how to create consistent, accurate attributions.

Although the terms attribution and citation are sometimes used interchangeably, they have distinct meanings in the context of copyright licensing.

Citation is the scholarly practice of acknowledging the books, articles, and other sources consulted when developing a research argument. Citations give readers the information they need to locate the original materials. Most disciplines follow established citation styles, such as APA (American Psychological Association) or MLA (Modern Language Association), which specify how to cite different types of works.

Attribution means giving credit to the creators or copyright holders of materials—such as images, videos, audio, or other creative works—according to the terms of their license. Unlike citation styles, there is no single standardized format for attribution, but each Creative Commons license specifies what information must be included.

There is no single standard for attribution, but the following best practices can guide you in creating clear and complete attributions.

1. All Creative Commons licenses require attribution—that is, giving credit to the licensor or creator.

   Attributions should include:

   • Any copyright notice supplied by the licensor
   • The licensor’s or creator’s name
   • The title of the work (not the hosting website)
   • The URL for the work (for online materials)
   • The specific Creative Commons license type and its URL

   Other optional information you may include:

   • The date the work was created or published
   • The date you accessed or retrieved the work
   • The URL of the site where the work is hosted
2. Follow any special attribution instructions from the creator or licensor. If a creator requests that an attribution be worded in a specific way, follow those directions exactly.
3. Indicate when you adapt or modify a work. If you have changed a work in any way, your attribution must acknowledge that it is a derivative. Use phrasing such as “This work is a derivative of…” or “This work is based on…”.
4. Be consistent in formatting your attributions. For example, if you use several Creative Commons–licensed images in a presentation, format each attribution in the same style.

For additional examples and guidance, see Creative Commons’ recommendations on attribution .

Thoughtful attributions not only honor creators’ rights but also help others trace and reuse works appropriately.

When in doubt, follow the license terms or consult the official Creative Commons attribution guidelines.