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Contributor Guidance

How to Cite Sources in Your Course Materials

Whether you are uploading a syllabus, lecture slides, or a rubric, citing your sources shows buyers you have done rigorous work. This guide covers the basics.

1. The TASL Format

TASL stands for Title, Author, Source, and License. It is the attribution format recommended by Creative Commons and works well for teaching materials across all content types.

  • Title: The name of the work you are referencing or including.
  • Author: The person or organization that created it.
  • Source: Where you found it (URL, publisher, journal, etc.).
  • License: The terms under which you are using it (CC BY, publisher license, fair use, public domain, etc.).

Example attribution

"Coral Reef Ecosystem Photo" by NOAA / flickr.com/noaa / CC BY 2.0

2. Using the Smart Lookup Tool

When adding sources to a listing, you can paste a DOI, ISBN, or URL into the lookup field. The system will attempt to auto-fill the citation details for you.

  • DOI: Paste a DOI (e.g., 10.1234/example.2024) or a doi.org link. Metadata is retrieved from Crossref.
  • ISBN: Enter a 10- or 13-digit ISBN (hyphens are fine). Book details are retrieved from Open Library.
  • URL: Paste any https:// link. The page title and author are extracted from meta tags when available.

If the lookup cannot find metadata, you can always add the source manually using the form described below.

3. Adding Sources Manually

Below the lookup field, expand "Add a source manually" to open a form with fields for source type, title, author, URL, license, and year. Title is the only required field.

This is useful when a source does not have a DOI or ISBN, or when the automatic lookup returns incomplete results. You can mix auto-filled and manual sources in the same listing.

4. Teaching Material Examples

Here are three common scenarios you may encounter when preparing materials for upload.

Syllabus citing a required textbook

Educational Psychology | Anita Woolfolk | Pearson, 2019 | Publisher license

Lecture slides with a CC-licensed image

Coral Reef Ecosystem Photo | NOAA | flickr.com/noaa | CC BY 2.0

Rubric adapted from a published source

AAC&U VALUE Rubrics | Association of American Colleges | aacu.org/value-rubrics | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

5. Creative Commons License Basics

Creative Commons (CC) licenses let creators specify how others may use their work. The common licenses you will encounter in academic materials:

  • CC BY: Use freely with attribution.
  • CC BY-NC: Attribution required; no commercial use.
  • CC BY-SA: Attribution required; derivatives must carry the same license.
  • CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution required; no commercial use; derivatives must carry the same license.
  • CC BY-ND: Attribution required; no derivatives permitted.
  • CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution required; no commercial use; no derivatives permitted.
  • CC0: No rights reserved. The creator has dedicated the work to the public domain.

When you publish resources on FP×P, check whether the CC license on any included content permits commercial use. CC BY-NC and CC BY-NC-SA do not.

6. Fair Use for Educators

Fair use is a legal doctrine that can permit limited use of copyrighted material without permission. Three common misconceptions in academic settings:

Myth: "If I cite it, it is not infringement."

Attribution is a best practice and often a license requirement, but it does not replace permission. Proper citation and the right to reproduce are separate questions.

Myth: "Educational use is always fair use."

Fair use is a four-factor balancing test (purpose and character of use, nature of the work, amount used, and effect on the market). Educational purpose weighs in your favor on the first factor, but it does not automatically override the other three.

Myth: "I can use anything if I change it slightly."

Creating a derivative work (adapting, translating, abridging) still requires permission from the rights holder unless the original license explicitly permits it. Minor modifications do not create an independent right to reproduce.

7. University Copyright Office Resources

Your institution may have its own copyright guidance. These university resources are widely used reference points: