Which would be an appropriate example of fair use of copyrighted materials?

• A. Copying all the pages of a book you need for class
• B. Photographing a map to reference for a research project
• C. Making multiple recordings of an audio-book to sell
• D. Claiming to author a work written by another

Answer: (B)

Fair use lets you use copyrighted material for purposes like research or education, as long as the amount used is limited and the use doesn’t harm the rights holder’s market.

Photographing a map to reference for a research project fits this: you’re making a small, non-commercial use for scholarly work, using the map as a tool for your own analysis rather than reproducing or selling the work. It preserves the original, supports legitimate study, and doesn’t substitute the map itself for ongoing access or monetization.

The other options cross clear lines: copying every page of a book for class is taking the entire work or a large portion for study; making multiple recordings of an audiobook to sell is a commercial use that undermines the market for the original; and claiming authorship of someone else’s work is a fraudulent misrepresentation.