Permission from copyright holders is often needed when creating course materials, research papers, and web sites. You need to obtain permission when you use a work in a way that infringes on the exclusive rights granted to a copyright holder (i.e. outside the boundaries of fair use).
Steps that need to be followed to obtain permission to use copyrighted material:
For more information, visit the Copyright Clearnce Center's Obtaining Permission page.
Please be aware that in the majority of cases, you (or you students) need express written permission from the copyright holder to use survey instruments (questionnaires etc.) in your research. Many individual copyright holders ask only that you obtain permission and acknowledge them in any publications, including dissertations and theses, but some instruments require a fee.
IMPORTANT: obtaining permission to use an instrument does not give you the right to publish the instrument itself, or provide a link to it. Doing so is violation of copyright and can lead to legal action.