What is the best way to comply with fair-use guidelines when using digital content in multimedia presentations?

Using only a portion of each work aligns with the principles of fair use, which allows limited use of copyrighted material without obtaining permission from the copyright owner for specific purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research. When you limit the amount of content you use, you increase the likelihood that your use will be considered fair. Factors that determine fair use include the purpose of use, the nature of the copyrighted work, the amount used, and the effect of the use on the market for the original work.

It's crucial to understand that using the entire work generally falls outside fair use, even when intended for educational purposes, as it does not adhere to the guideline of using only what is necessary. Seeking permission from copyright owners may not always be feasible or practical, especially in a time-sensitive educational setting. Crediting the original authors is important for academic integrity and ethics but does not by itself ensure compliance with fair use since it does not address the amount of content used or the necessity of that use. Therefore, focusing on using a small, relevant portion is the best adherence to fair-use guidelines in multimedia presentations.