What is Covered by Copyright?
Copyright protection rests in any original work of authorship fixed in a tangible
medium. Works of authorship protected by copyright include literary works, a term
which broadly encompasses textual works such as novels, monographs or scientific papers,
and computer programs; pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works, which include
technical drawings, plans, maps, photographs, charts, diagrams, and models; musical
works, including any accompanying words; dramatic works, including any
accompanying music; pantomimes and choreographic works; motion pictures and
other audiovisual works; sound recordings; and architectural works.
Copyright protection in these works extends to their expression of ideas, rather than
to the actual ideas that the works contain. None of the exclusive rights are violated if
one extracts the ideas, concepts, or discoveries contained in a work, and disseminates
them in a different way or form. Rather, copyright infringement can arise when one
takes an author's ideas and expresses them in the same way.
To put it another way, you are always free to disseminate the ideas contained within a
work. However, copyright law generally requires that you disseminate these ideas by
placing them in your own words and expressing them, rather than simply copying others'
expression of these ideas.
What is a "Copyright"?
In general, copyright includes the rights to (1) reproduce, (2) display, (3) perform,
(4) distribute, and (5) adapt the copyrighted work. Copyright infringement occurs if any
one or more of the exclusive rights of copyright is violated.
he following article is an
overview of the issues related to copyrights and making copies of copyrighted materials.
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