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Creators want to protect and control their inventions, research, thoughts, and figures in order to be known. Intellectual property rights give the original author full control over the reuse of his creation. Simultaneously, researchers can protect their inventions and documents by copyrighting, trademarking and patenting their work. Respecting others’ intellectual property is an important part of the research ethical aspect. Thus, in order to respect others’ intellectual property, one should avoid a number of things. This article will first describe the intellectual property in research. After then, it will describe some things one should avoid in research in the light of intellectual property protection rights.

Intellectual Property In Research: An Introduction

Intellectual property in research refers to the knowledge and end results of an individual intellectual activity. It can be described in terms of input such as ideas, teaching material, finding as well as solutions to problems. Moreover, a researcher’s output such as patents, inventions and authorship is also termed as intellectual property. Simplifying the concept, it refers to the ownership of the idea or work of an individual. In property law, it gives a person exclusive rights to own his distinctive type of creation. Thus, intellectual property in research (IPR) specifies that no one can use someone else’s creation without having the owner’s permission. It aims to foster innovation as without IPR, business owners and researchers cannot get full benefits of their invention or creation. 

Example of intellectual property in research

The intellectual property in research includes the copyright of a book, scholarly article or even a sample dissertation written by an individual researcher or a dissertation writing service. Moreover, the distinctive logo representing the business or its products is also the intellectual property of a company. Thus, anyone who wants to use the information from someone else’s books, articles, and papers should get permission from the original author, if copyrights are reserved. In the case of open access to a literary document, you can use the information only by properly acknowledging the main author. In the same context, the use of a company’s patent logo or slogan must requires permission before using it even for marketing purpose. Also, the intellectual property in research can be protected in four ways:

• Copyrights: Copyrights is a way to protect the written or artistic creation for the lifetime (up to 70 years). Moreover, the copyright can also protect your ideas, literature, thoughts, and other research-related documents.
• Trademarks: Trademarks are important to protect words, phrases, logos, and symbols. Like copyright reserves, trademark registration also lasts forever. In case due to any reason you could not use a trademark for more than 10 years, then it must need renewal.
• Patent: It is important not only for researchers, but it can protect all kinds of inventions for at least 20 years.
• Trade secrets: It is also a term used for reserving intellectual property or trade secrets that your company has closed years ago. In this way, your trade secrets will remain yours. In case someone tried to breach your privacy he/she can be punished via court.   

Things To Avoid:

Intellectual property rights are policies that aim to maximise the chances of an individual to learn from creativity and innovation. On one side, these rights play a critical role in the growth and development of a country. At the same time, these rights create many controversies among research instructors that may lead to disagreement and copyrights violation. In severe conditions, it may also lead to the cancellation of your research work or a permanent ban on an author. Following are some essentials shared by best dissertation writers that one should avoid during publication as per intellectual property protection rights:

1. Don’t use someone else ideas without acknowledging the original authors. The referencing or acknowledgement can be in any style. 
2. The use of data or information must not spoil the reputation of original authors. It means if someone gives you access to his intellectual property, it is your moral duty to use the information only for the benefit of mankind. Using other’s creations to hurt him is ethically or morally wrong.   
3. Fake references must be avoided in order to protect the intellectual property in research. Fake referencing is the act of using research and acknowledging others for it. 
4. Do not forget the penalties for stealing someone’s intellectual property. The harshest penalties include $5 million and fifteen years in prison.  
5. Do not think the fraudulent representation of someone else’s data makes you a reputed researcher. It may happen that the original author forgives you on an IP (internet protocol) theft for once. Nevertheless, it may result in serious consequences and destroy your reputation. 
6. Do not compromise on the quality and credibility of data before using it. It allows you to produce high impact paper through honest means without taking someone else’s credit.
7. Do not identify cyber security gaps and weak spots to steal others’ sensitive research data. It is the act of intentional IP theft that can result in the cancellation of your research degree.  
8. Never forget to apply for permission if you want to use data with reserved copyrights. 
9. Don’t forget to use direct quotations to help others know that words are not your own intellectual property. 
10. If someone else’s graphical and pictorial data resembles your work, you still cannot use it. Even stealing graphics is also an act of intellectual property rights’ violation in research.    
11. In case, you are in doubt about committing an IP violation, do not delay in seeking advice from experts. Clearing your doubts will not let you commit any serious intellectual property theft.   

Thus, for intellectual property rights’ protection, the copier must apply for the original author’s consent in the case of copyrighted documents. Besides, fake referencing, identifying cyber security gaps, fraudulent representation of facts, and copying others’ images or graphs are among the most important things to avoid. 

Final Thoughts:

Intellectual property, whether yours or others, must not be stolen in order to promote innovation. Intellectual property in research is all about giving full control over the use of information in researcher’s hand. It helps the researcher know who, when and how people use his information. The act of stealing someone else’s IP can lead to serious consequences. Thus, by taking into account the above-mentioned things to avoid in regards to intellectual property in research, you can save yourself from penalties and other punishments.