A Qualitative Study of STEM Graduate Majors’ Copyright Knowledge and Educational Experiences

Abstract

This study examines whether graduate students in STEM fields at an R1 institution understand copyright law. Thirty graduate students participated in semi-structured interviews related to copyright and ownership. This study revealed that these students often conflate issues around copyright and plagiarism and have little understanding of their own ownership over the materials they create. This study was modeled on a previous study conducted with undergraduate students and provides a foundation for continued investigation.