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							<p>The ownership and protection of intellectual property can pose a dilemma for researchers. In principle, you should share ideas and findings to allow others to build on your work. In practice, however, limiting and controlling how your intellectual property is used can be important to your career development. </p>
							<p>If you have an idea that you think might lead to breakthroughs in your area of research, should you immediately share the idea with colleagues, or keep it confidential to make sure you get credit for the breakthrough?</p>
							
							<instructional-text><p>Work through each of the following scenarios, which capture the questions you will need to consider at each stage after coming upon an exciting new idea that potentially has a practical application. In each case, answer according to what you consider to be the most responsible course of action. </p></instructional-text>
							<instructional-text-accessible><p>In the following activity, work through each of the scenarios, which capture the questions you will need to consider at each stage after coming upon an exciting new idea that potentially has a practical application. In each case, answer according to what you consider to be the most responsible course of action.</p></instructional-text-accessible>

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                                        <p>
											Professional meetings can sometimes be boring, but this was not the case with the eight hours of sessions you just sat through. A number of papers focused on new approaches, although none seemed particularly achievable. This is when a flash of insight hits you. By adopting a slightly different approach based on some novel assumptions, it might be possible to come up with a fresh practical application for one of your ideas.
											<br><br>
											As you ponder the new idea, a message comes through on your phone:
											<br><br>
											<em>We are meeting at the caf&eacute; down the street to discuss some of the ideas presented in the sessions today. Care to join us?</em>
											<br><br>
											<strong>Is an informal session at a caf&eacute; a good place to get feedback on your new idea?</strong>
										</p>
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                                        Yes
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                                        No
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                                    <action-link goto-panel="1">
                                        I am not certain
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										<p>
											Ideally, researchers should be able to share an idea freely without worrying about getting credit or having the idea stolen. In practice, however, ideas cannot be protected by copyright or by patenting them. Once you express an idea, it can be used by others and they do not have to credit you as the source of the idea, since it is difficult to prove that the other person did not come up with the idea independently. Your colleagues at the caf&eacute; sat through the same sessions and could have reached similar conclusions.
											<br><br>
											On balance, if you want to retain control of your idea (i.e. your intellectual property), sharing it broadly with colleagues at this early stage is not a good idea. If you want feedback, there are other options.
											<br><br>
											<strong>Which of the following options do you feel is the best way to share and get feedback on your idea without risking the loss of your intellectual property?</strong>
										</p>
                                    </action-question>
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                                        Speak with your supervisor/mentor 
                                    </action-link>
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                                        Get advice from university research office (or officer) 
                                    </action-link>
                                    <action-link goto-panel="4">
                                        Speak with a colleague outside your field of research 
                                    </action-link>
                                    <action-link goto-panel="5">
                                        I am not certain 
                                    </action-link>
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										<p>
											If you have a supervisor or mentor, approaching them is usually the best option. They should be familiar with your research and your career path. As your supervisor/mentor, they have a responsibility to provide you with advice on how to protect your intellectual property.  
											<br><br>
											Unfortunately, supervisors and mentors occasionally use ideas from their students/mentees without giving credit. It is, therefore, important to evaluate your relationship with your supervisor/mentor before sharing information with them. If you have any doubts, getting advice from your university research office is probably a better option. This is a formal way of documenting your idea with a third party who is knowledgeable about intellectual property protection.
										</p>
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                                    <action-link goto-panel="6">
										Next
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										<p>
											If you do not have a supervisor or mentor, or doubt that they will respect your ownership of your idea, you should get advice from your university research office. This is a formal way of documenting your idea with a third party who is knowledgeable about intellectual property protection.
										</p>
                                    </action-question>
                                    <action-link goto-panel="6">
										Next
                                    </action-link>
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										<p>
											Speaking with a colleague outside your field of research may help you decide what to do next, but eventually you will have to talk with your supervisor/mentor or university research office/officer.
										</p>
                                    </action-question>
                                    <action-link goto-panel="6">
										Next
                                    </action-link>
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										<p>
											If you have a supervisor or mentor, approaching them is usually the best option. They should be familiar with your research and your career path. As your supervisor/mentor, they have a responsibility to provide you with advice on how to protect your intellectual property.  
											<br><br>
											Unfortunately, supervisors and mentors occasionally use ideas from students/mentees without giving credit. It is, therefore, important to evaluate your relationship with your supervisor/mentor before sharing information with them.
											<br><br>
											If you have any doubts, getting advice from your university research office (or officer) is probably a better option. This is a formal way of documenting your idea with a third party who is knowledgeable about intellectual property protection. You can also refer to your research office if you do not have a supervisor or mentor to ask for advice.
											<br><br>
											Speaking with a colleague outside your field of research may help you decide what to do next, but eventually you will have to speak with your supervisor/mentor or research office/officer.
										</p>
                                    </action-question>
                                    <action-link goto-panel="6">
										Next
                                    </action-link>
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                                <!-- question 7 -->
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                                    <action-question>
										<p>
											Assuming the advice you receive suggests that your idea has promise, is there any way copyright can help you protect it?
										</p>
                                    </action-question>
                                    <action-link goto-panel="7">
										Yes
                                    </action-link>
                                    <action-link goto-panel="7">
										No
                                    </action-link>
                                    <action-link goto-panel="7">
										I am not certain
                                    </action-link>
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                                    <action-question>
										<p>
											Although ideas cannot be copyrighted, recording your ideas in a copyrightable form (e.g. a thesis proposal, grant application, draft manuscript) can provide you with some protection. Anyone who uses your recorded materials without giving you credit is plagiarising your work. Whatever you record could also be protected by confidentiality agreements (for example, this could be the case when you submit a grant application or send a manuscript off for peer review).
											<br><br>
											When you are ready to start sharing your idea and related work, creating a proper record to document what you are proposing and have done is a good idea. It is important to remember that copyright also extends to unpublished materials (such as notes in a lab-book, programming code, etc.).
											<br><br>
											<strong>If your idea might also have patent potential, when should you start exploring that potential with your intellectual property office?</strong>
										</p>
                                    </action-question>
                                    <action-link goto-panel="8">
										Before speaking with any other researchers (including your supervisor)
                                    </action-link>
                                    <action-link goto-panel="8">
										After speaking with your supervisor, but before starting any research  
                                    </action-link>
                                    <action-link goto-panel="8">
										Once you have done enough research to confirm your ideas  
                                    </action-link>
                                    <action-link goto-panel="8">
										I am not certain 
                                    </action-link>
                                </action-panel>
                                <!-- question 9 -->
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                                    <action-question>
										<p>
											If your research has patent potential, it is never too early to contact a patent professional (often a patent attorney). Under the First to File (FTF) rule, the first person to file is granted the patent as long as all the requirements have been met. The more you share your ideas before applying for a patent, the greater the risk of having someone else file first.  
											<br><br>
											Before you speak with a patent professional, check to make sure that you understand the requirements for obtaining a patent. Good ideas alone do not qualify, and neither do ideas that have been shown to have no application. Therefore, the path from your flash of insight to a viable patent application can be long and complicated.
											<br><br>
											<strong>You also need to be careful to avoid claiming intellectual property that you do not own. Consider the following question: Can researchers make mistakes about who owns the intellectual property associated with a research project?</strong>
										</p>
									</action-question>
                                    <action-link goto-panel="9">
										Yes
                                    </action-link>
                                    <action-link goto-panel="9">
										No
                                    </action-link>
                                    <action-link goto-panel="9">
										I am not certain
                                    </action-link>
                                </action-panel>
                                <!-- question 10 -->
                                <action-panel panel="9">
                                    <action-question>
										<p>
											Researchers can make mistakes about who should own the intellectual property associated with a research project. This is particularly true of projects that stem from supervisor&ndash;student relationships. A good supervisor or mentor encourages students/mentees to engage in independent thinking and come up with their own ideas. However, the ideas that students generate may be ones that the supervisor identified previously and is now encouraging others to develop further. Determining who should get credit in these situations can be difficult. A supervisor/mentor and student/mentee can each honestly believe that they deserve sole credit for any intellectual property to emerge from their joint collaboration.
										</p>
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								<h4>Question 1:</h4>
								<p>Professional meetings can sometimes be boring, but this was not the case with the eight hours of sessions you just sat through. A number of papers focused on new approaches, although none seemed particularly achievable. This is when a flash of insight hits you. By adopting a slightly different approach based on some novel assumptions, it might be possible to come up with a fresh, practical application for one of your ideas.</p>
								<p>As you ponder the new idea, a message comes through on your phone:</p>
								<p><em>We are meeting at the caf&eacute; down the street to discuss some of the ideas presented in the sessions today. Care to join us?</em></p>
								<p><strong>Answer options:</strong></p>
								<ul>
									<li>Yes</li>
									<li>No</li>
									<li>I am not certain</li>
								</ul>
								<p><strong>Now proceed to Question 2</strong></p>
								<hr>
								<h4>Question 2:</h4>
								<p>Ideally, researchers should be able to share an idea freely without worrying about getting credit or having the idea stolen. In practice, however, ideas cannot be protected by copyright or by patenting them. Once you express an idea, it can be used by others and they do not have to credit you as the source of the idea, since it is difficult to prove that the other person did not come up with the idea independently. Your colleagues at the café sat through the same sessions and could have reached similar conclusions.</p>
								<p>On balance, if you want to retain control of your idea (i.e. your intellectual property), sharing it broadly with colleagues at this early stage is not a good idea. If you want feedback, there are other options.</p>
								<p><strong>Which of the following options do you feel is the best way to share and get feedback on your idea without risking the loss of your intellectual property?</strong></p>
								<p><strong>Answer options:</strong></p>
								<ul>
									<li>Speak with your supervisor/mentor [Proceed to Question 3]</li>
									<li>Get advice from university research office (or officer) [Proceed to Question 4]</li>
									<li>Speak with a colleague outside your field of research [Proceed to Question 5]</li>
									<li>I am not certain [Proceed to Question 6]</li>
								</ul>
								<hr>
								<h4>Question 3:</h4>
								<p>If you have a supervisor or mentor, approaching them is usually the best option. They should be familiar with your research and your career path. As your supervisor/mentor, they have a responsibility to provide you with advice on how to protect your intellectual property.</p>
								<p>Unfortunately, supervisors and mentors occasionally use ideas from their students/mentees without giving credit. It is, therefore, important to evaluate your relationship with your supervisor/mentor before sharing information with them. If you have any doubts, getting advice from your university research office is probably a better option. This is a formal way of documenting your idea with a third party who is knowledgeable about intellectual property protection.</p>
								<p><strong>Now proceed to Question 7</strong></p>
								<hr>
								<h4>Question 4:</h4>
								<p>If you do not have a supervisor or mentor, or doubt that they will respect your ownership of your idea, you should get advice from your university research office. This is a formal way of documenting your idea with a third party who is knowledgeable about intellectual property protection.</p>
								<p><strong>Now proceed to Question 7</strong></p>
								<hr>
								<h4>Question 5:</h4>
								<p>Speaking with a colleague outside your field of research may help you decide what to do next, but eventually you will have to talk with your supervisor/mentor or university research office/officer.</p>
								<p><strong>Now proceed to Question 7</strong></p>
								<hr>
								<h4>Question 6:</h4>
								<p>If you have a supervisor or mentor, approaching them is usually the best option. They should be familiar with your research and your career path. As your supervisor/mentor, they have a responsibility to provide you with advice on how to protect your intellectual property.</p>
								<p>Unfortunately, supervisors and mentors occasionally use ideas from students/mentees without giving credit. It is, therefore, important to evaluate your relationship with your supervisor/mentor before sharing information with them.</p>
								<p>If you have any doubts, getting advice from your university research office (or officer) is probably a better option. This is a formal way of documenting your idea with a third party who is knowledgeable about intellectual property protection. You can also refer to your research office if you do not have a supervisor or mentor to ask for advice.</p>
								<p>Speaking with a colleague outside your field of research may help you decide what to do next, but eventually you will have to speak with your supervisor/mentor or research office/officer.</p>
								<p><strong>Now proceed to Question 7</strong></p>
								<hr>
								<h4>Question 7:</h4>
								<p>Assuming the advice you receive suggests that your idea has promise, is there any way copyright can help you protect it?</p>
								<p><strong>Answer options:</strong></p>
								<ul>
									<li>Yes</li>
									<li>No</li>
									<li>I am not certain</li>
								</ul>
								<p><strong>Now proceed to Question 8</strong></p>
								<hr>
								<h4>Question 8:</h4>
								<p>Although ideas cannot be copyrighted, recording your ideas in a copyrightable form (e.g. a thesis proposal, grant application, draft manuscript) can provide you with some protection. Anyone who uses your recorded materials without giving you credit is plagiarising your work. Whatever you record could also be protected by confidentiality agreements (for example, this could be the case when you submit a grant application or send a manuscript off for peer review).</p>
								<p>When you are ready to start sharing your idea and related work, creating a proper record to document what you are proposing and have done is a good idea. It is important to remember that copyright also extends to unpublished materials (such as notes in a lab-book, programming code, etc.).</p>
								<p><strong>If your idea might also have patent potential, when should you start exploring that potential with your intellectual property office?</strong></p>
								<p><strong>Answer options:</strong></p>
								<ul>
									<li>Before speaking with any other researchers (including your supervisor</li>
									<li>After speaking with your supervisor, but before starting any research</li>
									<li>Once you have done enough research to confirm your ideas</li>
									<li>I am not certain</li>
								</ul>
								<p><strong>Now proceed to Question 9</strong></p>
								<hr>
								<h4>Question 9:</h4>
								<p>If your research has patent potential, it is never too early to contact a patent professional (often a patent attorney). Under the First to File (FTF) rule, the first person to file is granted the patent as long as all the requirements have been met. The more you share your ideas before applying for a patent, the greater the risk of having someone else file first.</p>
								<p>Before you speak with a patent professional, check to make sure that you understand the requirements for obtaining a patent. Good ideas alone do not qualify, and neither do ideas that have been shown to have no application.</p>
								<p>Therefore, the path from your flash of insight to a viable patent application can be long and complicated.</p>
								<p><strong>You also need to be careful to avoid claiming intellectual property that you do not own. Consider the following question: Can researchers make mistakes about who owns the intellectual property associated with a research project?</strong></p>
								<p><strong>Answer options:</strong></p>
								<ul>
									<li>Yes</li>
									<li>No</li>
									<li>I am not certain</li>
								</ul>
								<p><strong>Now proceed to Question 10</strong></p>
								<hr>
								<h4>Question 10:</h4>
								<p>Researchers can make mistakes about who should own the intellectual property associated with a research project. This is particularly true of projects that stem from supervisor–student relationships. A good supervisor or mentor encourages students/mentees to engage in independent thinking and come up with their own ideas. However, the ideas that students generate may be ones that the supervisor identified previously and is now encouraging others to develop further. Determining who should get credit in these situations can be difficult. A supervisor/mentor and student/mentee can each honestly believe that they deserve sole credit for any intellectual property to emerge from their joint collaboration.</p>
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							<h3>Summary</h3>

							<p>Researchers have a responsibility to share their ideas and findings with colleagues and the public.  With some limitations, they are also allowed to own and profit from their intellectual property, even if their work is publicly funded. The key to responsible ownership is knowing when and how to claim it. As general rules, you should:</p>
							
							<ul>
								<li>Take precautions to protect your intellectual property before you share it too widely</li>
								<li>Create a proper (copyrightable) record to document what you are proposing and have done</li>
								<li>Get advice on any potential patents early on in the development process</li>
								<li>Make sure that the IP you are seeking to protect is genuinely your intellectual property.</li>
							</ul>
							
							<p>Intellectual property protection is a way for researchers to benefit financially from their research and to exercise control over the use of its outputs. Take care to properly manage and protect it.</p>

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