To get permission

Find the copyright owner and their contact email address. To include a journal article in a thesis, firstly find your publisher's permissions email on the internet.

If seeking permission to publish a person's image or voice, find their contact email.

Then send an email adapting one of the permission emails below.  Templates 1 & 2 are for copyright permission.  Template 3 is for publishing a person's image or voice.

Store the received permission so that it can be readily retrieved if ever required.  HDR candidates should safely store their permissions. If you need assistance, contact the Information Policy Officer.

Permission templates

Template 1

Re: Request to include <an Image/a Graph/Part of a Video ...> in <my PHD/ Creative Work/Article/Book/Griffith Teaching Material ...>

Dear <their name/or Sir/Madam>,

My name is <your name> and I am <studying a PHD/a lecturer in the School of .../ a researcher in the school of ..../ an educational designer> at Griffith University, in Queensland, Australia.  Griffith University is a public non-profit educational institution.

I am seeking your permission to include <give full and exact details of the work you wish to include - you may wish to attach or link to a copy of the work> 

  • in my thesis for publication on Griffith Research Online
  • in an article I am writing/co-authoring (give full details of the title and where you intend to publish the article)
  • in a book I am writing/co-authoring (give full details of the title and the intended book publisher - if the publication is non-commercial, state)
  • in Griffith University course material (give full details of the course and whether the material will be put in Learning@Griffith where it will be accessible to Griffith students studying that course only and the use is non-commercial)
  • on Griffith University's website (give more details where possible).

Of course, if permission is granted, proper acknowledgment of your <image/graph/video..> will be made in <my PHD/ my article/ my book/ the Griffith teaching material...>.

Thank you for taking the time to consider this request.

I look forward to your reply.

Best regards,

<Your name>

<Your telephone number - optional>

Template 2

Re: Request to include Article in Thesis

Dear Sir/Madam,

My name is <your name> and I am studying a PHD at Griffith University.

I am the <author/lead author/co-author> of the following article: <give full details of the article including the journal name, year and volume>.

I am seeking your permission to include the <post-print/publisher's version> of my article in my thesis for publication on Griffith Research Online 12 months after marking in accordance with Griffith policy. In my thesis, I will provide the URL of your website where my article is published.

Thank you for taking the time to consider this request.

I look forward to your response.

Best regards,

<Your name>

Template 3

Re: Request to publish an image or voice

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am seeking your permission to include your <image/voice> in the <photo/audio/film> within my <thesis/creative work/article>.

<My thesis/creative work> will be published by Griffith on Griffith Research Online and/or elsewhere on Griffith’s website.

Thank you for taking the time to consider this request.

I look forward to your response.

Best regards,

<Your name>

Need help?

Advice and support

The Information Policy Officer provides copyright advice and training across Griffith University for staff and students. Contact the Information Policy Officer by emailing copyright@griffith.edu.au or phoning (0)7 3735 5695.

  • Reading List Service digitises and makes readings available online for students through Learning@Griffith in a copyright compliant way.
  • The Library assists with supplying movies and TV material for teaching in a copyright compliant way.
  • Griffith Enterprise advises on ownership and development of potentially commercial copyright, inventions and other IP created by staff and students.

Common questions