CAN YOU COPYRIGHT YOUR EXPERTISE?

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Quiz Questions

1.
Does the work you want to copyright contain at least ONE of the following categories? Check all that apply
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- A.
  Literary works (not just novels or books, but all works expressed in writing however recorded); includes characters depicted in novels that are sufficiently fleshed out with recognizable physical traits, backstory or personality traits
- B.
  Musical composition, which consists of the lyrics and underlying music (beat, instrumental)
- C.
  Dramatic works and accompanying music (e.g., plays and musicals)
- D.
  Pantomimes and choreography (e.g., the art of imitating or acting out situations, and the composition of dance movements and patterns, including those accompanied by music)
- E.
  Pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works (e.g., paintings, drawings, carvings, photographs, clothing designs, textiles)
- F.
  Audiovisual works (e.g., live-action movies, animation, television programs, and videogames)
- G.
  Sound recordings (e.g., songs, music, podcasts, sounds, and other recordings)
- H.
  Architectural works (e.g., buildings themselves as well as blueprints, drawings, diagrams, and models)
- I.
  Source code of computer software
- J.
  No – the work I want to copyright doesn’t fall into any of these categories
2.
Does the work you want to copyright include ideas, concepts, discoveries, or processes described below:
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- A.
  Yes – It includes the procedure for doing, making, or building things (like a recipe or the functionality of a computer program)
- B.
  Yes – It includes scientific or technical methods or discoveries
- C.
  Yes – It includes business operations or procedures, or other methods of operation
- D.
  Yes – It includes mathematical principles, formulas, or algorithms
- E.
  No – It does NOT include any of these elements
3.
Does the work you want to copyright fall into any of the following categories:
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- A.
  Yes – It is a title, name, logo, typography, short phrase, or slogan
- B.
  Yes – It is based on a copyrighted work without authorization from the copyright owner
- C.
  Yes – It is a blank form as well as words or short phrases that identify the content that should be recorded in each field or space
- D.
  Yes – It has the general layout or format of a book, page, book cover, slide presentation, web page, poster, etc.
- E.
  Yes – It is a useful object, like clothing or tools with a utilitarian function (that doesn’t contain creative expression that goes beyond mere function)
- F.
  No – It does NOT fall into any of these categories
4.
Was the work you want to copyright published in the US before January 1, 1928?
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- A.
  Yes
- B.
  No, but it was created by an officer or employee of the United States government (this doesn’t apply to works created by state government employees)
- C.
  No – it was not published in the US before January 1, 1928 and it was not created by an officer or employee of the US government
5.
Does the work you want to copyright fall into any of these formats:
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- A.
  Yes – it is an improvisational speech or performance that has not been written or recorded
- B.
  Yes – It is an ordinary conversation
- C.
  Yes – It is a choreographic work that has not been notated or recorded by the author
- D.
  Yes – It is one of the items above that has been recorded without the author’s permission
- E.
  No – The work does is not any of these
6.
Who created the work you want to copyright?
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- A.
  I did!
- B.
  It was generated with AI (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, etc.)
- C.
  It’s a natural object or phenomena – like a leaf or driftwood
- D.
  It was created via random or automatic mechanical processes – like music created by a windchime
7.
What kind of creative expression is used in the work you want to copyright?
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- A.
  No human was involved – like an image captured on a Ring camera
- B.
  There is only one (or a few ways) of expressing an idea, such as a recipe or rules to play a game, or “scenes a faire”; i.e., elements that are commonly associated with a concept (like vampires reaction to garlic and sunlight).
- C.
  Common geometric shapes or familiar symbols – like stop signs, smiley faces, or peace symbols – were used
- D.
  No creativity was used because the work consists entirely of commonly known information – like a standard calendar or directory of students
- E.
  The work is original and contains a substantial amount of creativity

Quiz Outcomes

1.
Your Expertise is Probably Copyrightable!
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As you’ve probably already seen at this point in the process, copyrighting your expertise is a complicated process. But it’s absolutely worth it! Protecting your Intellectual Property is the key to scaling your business. At Think Beyond IP, we specialize in helping expert business owners with corporate clients protect their most valuable assets. Our founder, Erin Austin, is a Harvard-educated corporate attorney with over 30 years of experience – and she knows copyright law inside and out. When you’re ready to Copyright Your Expertise, we’re here to handle the process and make sure every detail of the process is taken care of so you can legally, safely, and profitably grow your business.
2.
Your Expertise is Probably NOT Copyrightable
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US copyright law is complicated, as you’ve probably already realized at this point in the process. Creating and protecting original, copyrightable work is the best way to legally, safely, and profitably grow your business. This 3-part podcast series will help you better understand what makes your work original and how to better understand the public domain so you can format your expertise in a manner that can be legally copyrighted and protected as you scale your business!🎙️The Elements of Originality and Independence🎙️What Makes Something Truly Original Versus Derivative🎙️What is Public DomainListen to these episodes and subscribe to Hourly to Exit to learn exactly how to transform your expertise-based business from an unscalable, income-focused business to a scalable and saleable, profit-focused business.

CAN YOU COPYRIGHT YOUR EXPERTISE?

Before submitting a copyright registration application, find out what the Copyright Office will consider when reviewing your application.*This quiz applies to federal law only. There are common law copyright protections available on the state level that are not considered here.

Quiz Questions

Quiz Outcomes