Can I use data collection instruments from a study’s documentation?
Some instruments used as part of the data collection process for a project deposited with SAMHSA may contain whole or partial contents from copyrighted instruments. Reproductions of such instruments are provided as documentation for the analysis of the data in the associated collection. You cannot use a survey question from one of the SAMHSA studies when building your own survey without conducting further research. If the question is part of a copyrighted instrument, then using it could constitute copyright infringement and/or plagiarism. Circular 21 from the U.S. Copyright Office provides basic information on fair use and important legislative provisions and other documents addressing the reproduction of copyrighted materials by librarians and educators.

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