When you reuse or adapt content in an OER, you must provide attribution to meet Creative Commons (CC) licence conditions. There’s no single “official” style, but TASL - Title, Author, Source, Licence - is best practice and easy to apply. Public domain material doesn’t legally require attribution, but it’s still recommended to acknowledge the creator and help readers verify the source.

Attribution is different from academic referencing. Attribution fulfils CC licence terms (a legal requirement); referencing fulfils academic integrity (an academic requirement). For open content, do both: give a TASL attribution at the point of use and add a full reference list entry in your chosen style (e.g. APA).

Quick guide

• Identify the licence (or PD/permission).
  • CC-licensed → give TASL + licence URL.
  • Public domain → note PD status; attribution recommended.
  • All-rights-reserved/uses beyond the CC licence → obtain permission and state that permission was granted.
• Name the licence and link it: Use the full name or abbreviation (e.g. “Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International” or “CC BY 4.0”) and include the licence deed URL—as a hyperlink or the full URL.
• State modifications: say “From” (unchanged) or “Adapted from” (changed).
• Place it near the item:
  • Figures/tables/images/media: include the attribution in the caption/note.
  • Reused/adapted text: put the attribution in a footnote at the point of use.
• Reference list: add a full citation (e.g. APA). If you include a copyright/attribution note or footnote, APA doesn’t also require an in-text citation for that specific reused/adapted item.
• Avoid implying endorsement; follow any credit wording the licensor requests where reasonable; remove or adjust the creator name if they ask.

Placement tips (figures, images and multimedia)

• Put the attribution in the caption or figure/table note.
• Embedded media (e.g. YouTube): ensure the source is legitimate and authoritative; provide an attribution nearby and follow platform terms.
• Images/media can have different licences from surrounding text—attribute each component appropriately.
• If a CSU staff member (not the chapter author) created an asset, credit them in the caption (e.g. Photograph by Monica Short).

Common pitfalls to avoid

• Missing licence or licence URL.
• Forgetting to indicate changes (“Adapted from”).
• Burying attribution far from the item.
• Assuming the platform auto-handles attribution - you must add it.

Adapted from: “Citations V. Attributions” by Quill West, for Pierce College, CC-BY 4.0 and from Self-Publishing Guide by Lauri M. Aesoph, BC campus CC-BY 4.0. 

Use the following guidance when writing in APA. It explains how to present TASL (Title, Author, Source, Licence) as APA-styled attribution notes/footnotes for figures, tables, images, and reused text, and how to create the matching reference list entry.

In APA, include TASL at the point of use: add a copyright/attribution note beneath figures and tables, or a footnote for text. Include the following elements (as recommended by APA):

• Usage description (“From” if unchanged; “Adapted from” if changed)
• Title
• by Author
• Year of publication
• Source (publisher, webpage, or book/journal details)
• Licence (e.g. “CC BY 4.0”) and the licence deed URL

No separate in-text citation is needed for that item when the attribution note is provided (American Psychological Association, 2020, p.389-392).

When to use this style: If you’re required to write in APA. Otherwise, apply TASL near the item and follow your chosen referencing style for the reference list.