Nursing Professional Development Certification (NPD-BC) Practice Exam

When is a written or artistic work automatically under copyright protection?

1. Immediately after it is created in a tangible form

2. from the time a copyright registration is applied for

3. after the material is registered for copyright

4. after a search shows that the work is free of plagiarism

The correct answer is: Immediately after it is created in a tangible form

A written or artistic work is automatically under copyright protection immediately after it is created in a tangible form. This means that once an idea is expressed in a fixed form, such as being written on paper, saved in a digital file, or recorded in any manner, it is protected by copyright law without the need for registration or any other formalities. This automatic protection allows the creator certain exclusive rights regarding the reproduction, distribution, and display of their work. It's important to recognize that copyright does not hinge on registration; while registering a work can offer additional legal advantages, such as the ability to sue for statutory damages, the absence of registration does not negate the creator's copyright over the work as soon as it is fixed in a tangible medium. The other options imply various conditions or processes that are unnecessary for copyright protection to initially take effect, making them less accurate in describing the nature of automatic copyright.