Attribution and Re-use

I’m delighted when people find my work useful enough to quote, reference, share or build upon. After all, journalism, research and writing are conversations, and conversations only thrive when ideas circulate.

However, there is one small courtesy I ask in return: proper attribution.

Over a lifetime of writing, I’ve seen my work appear in places where my name somehow failed to make the journey. The first time it happened was many years ago, when material from an essay I had written found its way into print under rather different circumstances. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the last.

So let’s keep things simple.

If you use material from this website, or from any article, paper, presentation or publication that I have written, please acknowledge:

• David Marshall as the author; and
• The original publication or source in which the work appeared.

A link back to the original source is always appreciated where practical.

Quoting reasonable extracts for commentary, criticism, academic work, journalism, education or discussion is generally welcome. Reproducing substantial sections, republishing complete articles, or presenting my work as your own is not.

Attribution is not merely a legal matter; it is a matter of professional respect. Writers, researchers and journalists depend on the accurate acknowledgment of their work and ideas. It helps readers understand where information originated and allows the original source to be properly credited.

In short:

Feel free to quote me. Feel free to reference me. Feel free to disagree with me.

Just don’t forget to tell people where the words came from.

Thank you.