Copyright Examples and Who Can Claim Copyright

Copyright Examples and Who Can Claim Copyright
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Only a person or group of persons who have created a unique, original, creative, work of expression can claim a copyright. In order to claim a copyright, you must have created the work and have a desire or need to protect it from theft or misuse by others. Several copyright examples include books or poems, songs or song lyrics, or another type of work, such as a research thesis, Web page, a publication, or something similar. Editors, writers, photographers, musicians, and publishing companies are deeply involved in copyrighting, as it provides a means to protect their intellectual property. Your work must be original. You cannot copyright someone else’s work. The work must be tangible, too, meaning it can be written, copied, printed, and distributed. You cannot claim a copyright if your “work of expression” is an idea, theory, or simply information you’ve amassed. Some works are simply outside the realm of a copyright, such as court decisions, numbers and alphabets, laws created by lawmakers, and names in a telephone book. Remember, you have to create the work, and it has to be a work of creative expression. For more information read: The Steps Involved in Applying for a Copyright

Examples of Copyrights

It’s impossible to list every example of work available for copyright. However, this list offers a generic offering of copyright examples:

    • Literary works including books, poems, theses, and publications
    • Motions pictures and dramatic works
    • Computer software and animations
    • Songs, song lyrics, sound recordings, and music
    • Photographs, graphics, images, pictures
    • Web pages
    • Works of art including paintings, sculptures, architecture, and computer graphics
    • Educational materials including texts and tests

To learn more, read How Long Does a Copyright Last? Note: Remember, you cannot copyright intangible works such as an improvisational act, nor can you copyright anything familiar, like a slogan or phrase. Copyrights are only granted to original works of expression. If you aren’t sure if a copyright is right for you, you may need a patent or a trademark instead. For more information, read The Difference Between a Patent and a Trademark.