Copyright and Licensing

Overview

Copyright and licensing rules determine who owns a scholarly work and what others can do with it. Because AAAI is an open-access journal, these rules are designed to support broad lawful reuse of published research while ensuring that authors receive proper attribution and that the integrity of the scholarly record is protected.

AAAI publishes articles with a Creative Commons Attribution license (CC BY 4.0) statement on article pages and PDFs, indicating that articles may be used, distributed, and reproduced in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. This page expands on that statement with practical guidance for authors, readers, educators, and downstream publishers.

Practical summary

AAAI content is open access under CC BY 4.0. You may reuse it broadly with attribution—unless specific third-party items within an article are labelled with different rights.

In scholarly publishing, “copyright” is the legal framework that protects the expression of an idea (the written text, figures, tables, and formatting), not the underlying scientific facts themselves. AAAI’s open-access model is designed to make the expression of the research easy to reuse while preserving proper credit to authors and protecting against misrepresentation.

Depending on the journal’s publishing agreement and how the work is processed, copyright can be retained by authors or managed through a licensing arrangement. Regardless of the administrative form, AAAI’s displayed license statement clarifies reuse rights for the published article. Authors should review the publishing agreement and confirm that all co-authors consent to publication and licensing under the journal’s terms.

What this means for authors

  • You remain responsible for ensuring the content is original and that permissions exist for any reused material.
  • You enable broad reuse by allowing publication under CC BY 4.0, which supports teaching, translation, and evidence synthesis.
  • You keep scholarly credit because attribution is required for reuse.
  • You support compliance with many funder open-access requirements through recognized licensing.

Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0)

AAAI displays a Creative Commons Attribution license statement across published content. Under CC BY 4.0, users may generally copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format and remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, including commercially, provided they give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made.

In respiratory and immunology research, CC BY is especially valuable because it supports translation of patient education, adaptation of figures for clinical teaching, and reuse in evidence summaries and guidelines. It also reduces friction for systematic reviewers and meta-analysts who need full-text access and clear reuse permissions.

Attribution: what “properly cited” looks like

“Proper citation” should make it easy for others to locate the original article. At minimum, include: authors, title, journal, year, DOI, and the CC BY 4.0 license reference. If you changed the material (e.g., you adapted a figure or shortened text), state that clearly.

Attribution example (figure reuse in a lecture) Source: Smith J, Patel R, Lee A. Title of the Article. Archives of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology. 2025; Volume(Issue):Pages. DOI: 10.xxxx/xxxx. Licensed under CC BY 4.0. (No changes made)
Attribution example (adapted figure in a review article) Adapted from: Smith J, Patel R, Lee A. Title of the Article. Archives of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology. 2025. DOI: 10.xxxx/xxxx. Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Changes: color palette and labels adjusted for clarity.

No implied endorsement

CC BY reuse does not mean the original authors or AAAI endorse your derivative work. If you create adaptations, avoid wording that implies endorsement unless you have explicit permission.

Third-party content inside AAAI articles

Some manuscripts include content that is not owned by the authors—such as previously published figures, standardized questionnaires, proprietary scales, images supplied by a third party, or material from organizations with separate licensing terms. Open access licensing cannot automatically override third-party rights.

AAAI therefore expects authors to either: (1) use third-party material that is already licensed for reuse (e.g., CC BY material) and cite it properly, or (2) obtain written permission from the rights holder for reuse in an open-access article, or (3) replace the content with original equivalents (for example, re-drawing a figure based on reported data where permissible and correctly attributed).

How third-party content should be labeled

  • Clearly credit the source in the figure/table legend.
  • State the license of the reused item if it is openly licensed (e.g., “Reproduced under CC BY 4.0”).
  • If permission was obtained, state “Reproduced with permission from…” and keep documentation available.
  • If reuse is restricted, include an explicit restriction statement so downstream users are not misled.

Common example: clinical images

Clinical photographs, imaging, and case materials can also trigger privacy obligations. Even when authors own the images, patient consent and de-identification requirements apply. Authors must ensure that image reuse does not violate patient privacy or institutional rules.

Permissions and requests

Because AAAI articles are licensed under CC BY 4.0, most reuse does not require additional permission—proper attribution is sufficient. However, permission may still be needed in these cases:

  • Third-party content inside an AAAI article that is labeled with separate rights restrictions.
  • Trademarked or proprietary materials (e.g., branded instruments) where rights holder permission is required beyond copyright.
  • Patient-identifying material (rare and generally discouraged) where ethical/legal constraints require controlled use.

If you need clarification about reusing a specific item from an AAAI article, contact the editorial office with: (1) the article URL and DOI, (2) the figure/table number, and (3) how you intend to reuse it. The editorial office can confirm whether the item is part of the CC BY 4.0 licensed content or if separate permission is required.

Fast reuse checklist

If it is AAAI-authored content and not labeled as third-party/restricted, you can generally reuse under CC BY 4.0 with attribution. If it is labeled as “reproduced with permission” or has a separate license note, check the rights holder terms.

Licensing workflow during publication

During submission and production, AAAI may request confirmations related to copyright and licensing: author agreement to publish under the journal’s open-access terms, confirmation that all authors consent, and verification that third-party permissions have been secured. These checks protect authors and readers by preventing post-publication disputes and takedown requests.

What authors should prepare

  • Final author list and affiliations (consistent spelling across files).
  • Funding and conflict of interest statements.
  • Ethics/consent statements (especially for clinical cases).
  • Third-party permission letters (if applicable), stored as PDFs and referenced in cover letter if needed.
  • Clear figure legends that specify whether items are original, adapted, or reproduced.

Avoid delays

Missing permissions for third-party figures is a common cause of production delays. If a figure is essential, resolve permissions early. If permission is uncertain, consider replacing it with an original figure.

Real-world reuse scenarios

Below are practical examples of how AAAI content can be reused under CC BY 4.0. These scenarios are common in clinical and academic respiratory medicine:

  • Teaching: a faculty member uses AAAI figures in an immunology lecture with attribution on the slide.
  • Guideline discussions: a clinical team includes an AAAI table in a hospital protocol draft, citing the source and noting the license.
  • Systematic review: reviewers extract outcomes and reproduce a flow diagram with proper citation.
  • Translation: a public health educator translates a plain-language summary for community asthma programs, citing the original article and stating the license.
  • Commercial training: an educational provider includes an AAAI figure in a paid course, with correct attribution and license link (CC BY allows this).

Integrity and accuracy in reuse

Even when reuse is legally permitted, users should preserve scientific meaning. Avoid selective quoting that changes interpretation, and indicate modifications clearly to prevent accidental misinformation.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need permission to reuse an AAAI figure?

Usually no—if the figure is original to the article and not labeled as third-party restricted, CC BY 4.0 allows reuse with attribution. If the figure is reproduced from another source or labeled with restrictions, additional permission may be required.

Can I use AAAI content in a commercial product?

CC BY 4.0 allows reuse for commercial purposes, provided attribution is given and changes (if any) are indicated. Ensure third-party content restrictions are respected.

What if I adapt an AAAI table or figure?

You can adapt under CC BY 4.0, but you must cite the original and indicate that changes were made (e.g., “adapted from…”). Avoid implying the original authors endorse your adaptation.

Can authors post the final article on their own website?

Authors may generally share the published article link widely. If posting files, follow the journal’s repository guidance and always include the full citation, DOI, and license statement.

Where can I confirm the license statement on published articles?

AAAI article pages and PDFs display the open-access license statement. You can review any article PDF to see the Creative Commons license notice and reuse conditions.