Copyright

What is Copyright, and How Does It Work?

Copyright is a type of intellectual property law that applies to tangential works, such as artwork, computer software, and published research. When an author creates an original work, the copyright automatically belongs to the author. In scholarly publishing, authors may transfer their manuscript's copyright to a journal, or they may retain their rights depending on the publishing agreement. Publishing agreements can be negotiated and are legal contracts once established. Authors should refer to publishing agreements when they want to reuse works they have previously published.

On This Page:

• Copyright Basics Tutorial
• Introduction to Copyright: Video
• Tools
• History

Copyright Basics Tutorial

About this tutorial: "This lesson teaches learners about copyright basics using definitions, applications, and scenarios. Copyright is an important part of understanding how books, articles, art, movies, and other content can be used and cited."

This tutorial was created by Olivia Chin (2025). Find more UTK libraries tutorials with the Tutorials Guide.

Attribution: UK Data Service

For Authors, Researchers, & Teachers:

• From UT:
  • Copyright Information from UT's Office of the General Counsel
  • UT's Board Policy BT0024 on Classroom Instructional Materials
• From Other Sources:
  • An Introduction to Copyright Resources for Authors
  • Copyright in Academic Research and Publication
  • Copyright Concerns of Graduate Researchers
  • Works Made for Hire
  • Copyright Education and Information: Faculty and Instructors
  • TEACH Act Copyright Crash Course

For Students:

• Copyright Education and Information: Students
• List of Publisher Policies Regarding Theses from MIT Libraries
• Guidelines on Using Previously Published Work in Theses and Dissertations from Rutgers

For Creatives:

• What Musicians Should Know About Copyright
• The Public Domain: Enclosing the Commons of the Mind by James Boyle
  • Chapter 6 has examples and stories regarding the complexities of music copyright

General Copyright Resources:

• Copyright in General FAQs
• Know Your Copyrights
• Copyright Charts and Tools
• Copyright Crash Course
• U.S. Copyright Office YouTube Videos
• How to Investigate the Copyright Status of a Work 
• Duration of Copyright
• Administrative Copyright Classification Systems
• The Geography of Copyright Registrations
• Is It Protected By Copyright?