In 99.9% of cases, you may not copy-paste text from other sources into Wikipedia (short quotations aside), because it would violate copyright and/or constitute plagiarism. If you think your case is the rare exception, read on – but remember that even in the cases where copyright is not a problem, it is probably still better to write the article yourself in your own words, and just cite the source you want to copy from.
But I'm just trying to be helpful/get things started. We appreciate your good intentions, but copy-pasting text is almost never helpful. For this reason there is a procedure for speedily deleting copyright violations. Instead, write the article in your own words, and cite the sources you rely on.
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[edit] Can I copy-paste text to Wikipedia that I got from somewhere else?
As a general rule, DO NOT COPY-PASTE TEXT FROM OTHER WEBSITES. (There are a few limited exceptions, and a few words as part of a properly cited and clearly attributed quotation is OK.)
As a general rule, DO NOT COPY-PASTE TEXT FROM OTHER WEBSITES.
- There are very few websites (and other sources) from which text can be copy-pasted without violating copyright – cases where the text is in the public domain or uses a Wikipedia-compatible license. (Even then, you have to acknowledge that you are copying; see Wikipedia:Plagiarism.) Copyright does not need to be asserted – if the source says nothing about licensing or copyright, you must treat it as copyrighted. If you think your source may qualify for copying, have a look here for more details, and ask for confirmation at Wikipedia talk:Copyright problems.
- If you own the previously published material or have permission to reproduce it, permission must be verified. See Wikipedia:Donating copyrighted materials.
[edit] But surely I can copy from THIS?
As a general rule, DO NOT COPY-PASTE TEXT FROM OTHER WEBSITES. This includes
- Charities, non-profit organisations, schools, etc.
- Websites without a copyright notice. If a work does not have a copyright notice, that does not mean that it may be freely used: if in doubt, assume you cannot use it.[1]
Note: even if you work for or represent an institution, you cannot copy-paste text from it without officially clarifying permissions with Wikipedia. If you have the authority to do that, see Wikipedia:Donating copyrighted materials. Note though that text from organisational websites often needs substantial re-writing in any case in order to make it encyclopedic – it must not read like an advertisement.
[edit] Can I copy-paste if I change the text a little bit?
No. It can be tempting to think that if you copy-paste the text and then change it a little bit, that then you're okay. For example you might change "The apple is a crisp, crunchy fruit prized for its nearly clear juice" to "The apple is a crisp, crunchy fruit appreciated for its almost clear juice". Unfortunately, this sort of superficial change is not enough: you must write the article in your own words, and then cite the sources you rely on. If the way in which a source has said something is important, use a quotation, including quote marks and a clear attribution in the text (eg According to John Doe, "The apple is a crisp, crunchy fruit prized for its nearly clear juice").
[edit] What about quotes?
Brief quotations of copyrighted text may be used to illustrate a point, establish context, or attribute a point of view or idea. Copyrighted text must be attributed and clearly marked as a quote. Extensive quotation of copyrighted text is prohibited even if correctly cited.
[edit] How about copy-pasting from one Wikipedia article to another?
Yes, you can copy parts of one Wikipedia article into another, but you must link to the source article in your edit summary. Original content contributed by users can be freely used, but only if you recognise the original author – if you don't, this violates their copyright.
- However, if you just want to change the title of an article do not copy-paste – use the move tool or make a request at Wikipedia:Requested moves instead.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Most websites (and other sources) are automatically protected by copyright under rules such as the Berne Convention, even if the author did not apply for copyright or place a copyright notice in their work.