Under US Code17 Section 102, the following are copyright-protected:
| Literature | Music and lyrics | Drama |
| Pantomime and dance | Pictures, graphics, sculpture | Films |
| Sound Recordings | Architecture | Software |
The following cannot be copyrighted, but can be protected by patent or trade secret laws
| Facts | Ideas | Names |
| Titles | Short Phrases | Procedures |
| Processes | Systems | Concepts |
| Principles | Discoveries |