Fair use is a legal concept that describes when it is acceptable to use works protected by copyright. Fair use is determined by four principles, which you can read more about in your textbook:
- How will the work be used? Is it for commentary, education, research, etc.? Will someone profit financially from it?
- What kind of work is it? In particular, has it been published?
- How much of the work will be used? All of it? Most of it? A little of it?
- How will the use effect the sales of the original? Will people still buy/use the original?
Use the flowchart on Can I Use that Picture? The Terms, Laws, and Ethics for Using Copyrighted Images, from Curtis Newbold, to decide if you your use of a source is fair use.
Use the Fair Use Evaluator, from the American Library Association, for a thorough analysis and to write a justification of your use.