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MLA Citation Guide (MLA 9th Edition): Creative Commons Licensed Works

Creative commons logo

 

What is Creative Commons?

Creative Commons (CC) is a way for creators to make ordinarily copyrighted work (books, images, etc.) available to others.


How do I know if something has a CC license?

You will see an image that looks something like this: Copyright symbol of two letter Cs in a circle and image of a stick man in a circle beside it


What does the license allow me to do with the work (book, image, etc.)?

You can usually find the CC license on the page where you found the work. When you click on the CC image license it will indicate what you are allowed to do. Common license terms are that you are allowed to share and adapt/modify the work, as long as you provide attribution (i.e. cite). 


Do I still need to cite something that has a CC license?

Yes, you always need to credit other people's work.

In most cases, the CC license will specify that you need to "provide attribution" (aka cite), but even when the CC license does not specify that you must provide attribution, Seneca Libraries recommends that you still do so.


Citation Rules:

 Note to Students: Seek clarification from your instructor on how they would like you to cite and which rules to follow. 

When creating a digital assignment, the Creative Commons formatting rules may be all that is required by your instructor. 

When writing an APA or MLA essay, your instructor may want you to follow APA or MLA guidelines for citing the CC licensed work, with the added Creative Commons license information.

Note that there are no current APA or MLA instructions for citing CC licensed works. Please check with your instructor for guidance.

Ideal attribution

Here is a photo. Following it is an ideal example of how people might attribute it.

Cupcakes with the Creative Commons log on top, on a green table

This is an ideal attribution

Because:

Title? "Creative Commons 10th Birthday Celebration San Francisco"
Author?  tvol - linked to his profile page
Source? "Creative Commons 10th Birthday Celebration San Francisco" - linked to original Flickr page
License? CC BY 2.0 - linked to license deed

Above ideal attribution example, "Best Practices for Attribution" by CC is licensed under CC BY 4.0

Getting Help - The Writing Center

The Writing Center [TWC] is located on the first floor of the Library in room L101. Writing center staff will be available to help with your essays, research, and more.  

At the Writing Center, they can help with any writing assignment for any class at any stage in the process. That means they can help you:

  • brainstorm a topic
  • refine your thesis
  • organize a rough draft
  • practice paraphrasing or incorporating source material
  • understand a citation style like MLA, APA, or Turabian
  • revise your work before final submission

Schedule an Appointment

Inside the Writing Center, several tables with chairs facing each other