A copyright owner is entitled to take legal action against a person who infringes his copyright. Unless otherwise permitted by the Copyright Act 1968, unauthorised copying of a work in which copyright subsists may infringe the copyright in that work.
Where making a copy of a work is fair dealing under section 40 of the Copyright Act 1968, making that copy is not an infringement of the copyright in the work.
It is a fair dealing to make a copy, for the purposes of research or study, of one or more articles on the same subject matter in a periodical publication or, in the case of any other work, of a reasonable portion of a work. In the case of a published work that is not less than 10 pages and is not an artistic work, 10% of the total number of pages, or one chapter, is a reasonable portion.
More extensive copying may constitute fair dealing for the purpose of research or study. To determine whether it does, it is necessary to have regard to the criteria set out in sub-section 40 (2) of the Copyright Act 1968.