Legal Definitions - original work of authorship

For a work to be protected by copyright, it must be an original work of authorship. This means that the work must be created by the author and not copied from someone else. Examples of works that can be protected by copyright include:

• Literary works, such as books, articles, and poems
• Musical works and accompanying lyrics
• Dramatic works and accompanying music
• Pantomimes and choreography
• Pictures, graphics, and sculptures
• Movies and other audiovisual works
• Sound recordings
• Architecture

It's important to note that the work must be fixed in a tangible medium of expression, such as a book, CD, or digital file. Ideas, procedures, processes, systems, methods of operation, concepts, principles, or discoveries are not copyrightable, regardless of their form.

For example, if a musician writes a song and records it, the song and recording are considered original works of authorship and can be protected by copyright. However, if someone else copies the song and records their own version, that would be considered infringement of the original work's copyright.