Copyright

Author

• The creator of an artistic, literary, musical, or dramatic work.

Brevity

• Shortness of duration; especially, shortness or conciseness of expression.

Classroom Copying

• Producing photocopies from books and/or journals for classroom use only.

Copyright

• Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States (title 17, U.S. Code) to the authors of "original works of authorship," including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works.

Copyright Holder

• A copyright holder's rights include the exclusive right to or allow others to do the following: reproduce copies, prepare derivative works, distribute copies by sale, rental or lease, publicly perform the work, publicly display the work in person, print, or digitally.

Copyrighted Work

• Copyrighted Work means an original work of authorship, which has been fixed in any tangible medium of expression

Course Term

• Typically a semester, usually 5 months long.

Cumulative Effect

• Referred to in guidelines concerning multiple classroom copying by an instructor. The copying meets the test of cumulative effect if:
  • The copying of the material is for only one course in the school in which the copies are made
  • Not more than one short poem, article, story, essay, or two excerpts may be copied from the same author during the same term
  • Not more than three authors from the same collective work may be copied during the same term
  • There shall not be more than nine instances of such multiple copying for one course during one class term.

Derivative Work

• A work based on or derived from one or more already existing works. Common derivative works include translations, musical arrangements, motion picture versions of literary material or plays, art reproductions, abridgments, and condensations of preexisting works.

Fair Use 

• Fair use is a doctrine in United States law that permits limited use of copyrighted material without having to first acquire permission from the copyright holder. Fair use is one of the limitations to copyright intended to balance the interests of copyright holders with the public interest in the wider distribution and use of creative works by allowing as a defense to copyright infringement claims certain limited uses that might otherwise be considered infringement.

Infringement

• The concept of infringement arises in patent, copyright, or trademark law. When someone copies software without permission of the copyright or patent owner, or uses a trademark without the permission of the trademark owner, they have committed an act of infringement, that is, they have infringed on the rights of the copyright, patent, and/or trademark owner.

Public Domain

• The public domain consists of all the creative work to which no exclusive intellectual property rights apply. Those rights may have expired, been forfeited, expressly waived, or may be inapplicable. Because no one holds the exclusive rights, anyone can legally use or reference those works without permission.

Spontaneity

• Referred to in the guidelines concerning multiple classroom copying by an instructor. Copying meets the test of spontaneity if the copyright is at the instance or inspiration of the individual teacher, and the inspiration and decision to use the work and the moment of its use for maximum teaching effectiveness are so close in time that it would be unreasonable to expect a timely reply to a request for permission to use the material.

1. U.S. Copyright Office