What is the Difference Between a Copyright, Trademark and Patent?
If you’ve ever had a great idea for a new gadget, written the next great American novel, or given a great speech, you probably have wondered how to keep others from stealing your ideas. There are three main types of ownership protection to choose from, and each type is used for a specific type of work. A copyright protects original works that fall under the categories of literature, dramatic, musical, artistic, and intellectual. These works may be published or unpublished, and the Copyright Act of 1976 gives the owner exclusive rights to reproduce their work in any medium. A copyright protects a form of expression, but not the subject matter of the work. For example, if someone wrote an article about a new car on the market, the text would be copyrighted, preventing someone else from using that particular material. However, a copyright does not prevent others from writing their own original article about this new car, or from using or making the car themselves. A trademark is used to p
