52. How do I ask for permission to use figures/images/tables from an academic publication?

Most academic publishers provide some way of asking permission to use an article through the website that hosts the content. A "request permissions" button will usually be available and will direct you to the service (such as the Copyright Clearance Center) that grants permission. These forms generally ask questions about what you plan to do with the content and usually have an option for reuse in a thesis/dissertation.

For publishers where this is not available, or for creators outside of academic publishing, look for a page on their website about copyright or permissions. You can use the permission letter template found in "Additional Resources" if you need to send a written request.

Below are links to copyright permissions instructions from several major publishers. If you need any help figuring out how to ask for permission, please send an email to copyright@uwaterloo.ca.