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IOP Science

Reusing Third Party Material in New IOP Content

Any time you are using content not original to your article in a work to be published with IOP, you will need to ensure you have the correct permissions. If your article makes use of any previously published material (including figures/diagrams, or short extracts, or content taken from websites) then you must first obtain the written permission of the copyright owner. This may apply even if you were the original author of said content. The copyright owner is usually the publisher (for material taken from journal or proceedings articles), website owner/company (for material taken from websites) or the author or their employer (if the work is unpublished).

When permission is not needed:

There are a few instances in which permission need not be expressly requested from the copyright owner of the material you wish to reuse:

  • If the material you wish to reuse was previously published by IOP or one of its partners (and IOP handles permissions for that partner), IOP will already have permission to use said material and you do not need to request it from us again.
  • If the content was published on an open-access basis that allows the type of reuse you need. For details of open access licences, please see Creative Commons Licences.
  • If the material you wish to reuse was published by another STM signatory, who has specified that they do not need to be notified when their content is reused. You can check whether this is the case on the STM website.

How to obtain permission:

You may be able to gain the permission of the publisher via the CCC Republication Service. Many publishers now use this service, most having a direct link to this service from the article you wish to use content from. Otherwise you should contact the publisher directly. Depending on the publisher’s policy, you may also need the permission of the author.

Below is a link to a template you can use to request permission from third parties to use their content in an IOP Publication.

Permissions request template email

All responses should either be uploaded via the Author Centre or emailed to the relevant journal email address, along with the manuscript ID number.

We do not obtain permission on your behalf:

It is your responsibility as the author of the article to ensure that all required permissions have been obtained in writing and any permission fee paid in full (if the copyright owner charges a fee for reuse).

Frequently Asked Questions:

If you have any queries about obtaining permission to reuse content from third parties in your IOP submission, please see our FAQ or contact us directly at permissions@ioppublishing.org

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