Final answer:
The fair use doctrine entitles a person to use copyrighted material under certain circumstances without obtaining permission from the copyright holder.
Step-by-step explanation:
The fair use doctrine is a provision in copyright law that entitles a person to use copyrighted material under certain circumstances without obtaining permission from the copyright holder. The fair use doctrine allows for the limited and transformative use of copyrighted material for purposes such as criticism, commentary, news reporting, teaching, and research.
For example, a student may be able to include excerpts from a copyrighted book in their research paper or use a portion of a copyrighted song in a school project, as long as their use is considered fair and does not infringe upon the rights of the copyright holder.
It is important to note that fair use is a complex and subjective concept, with specific factors that need to be considered to determine whether a particular use qualifies as fair. These factors include the purpose and character of the use, the nature of the copyrighted work, the amount and substantiality of the portion used, and the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.