What is copyright and how do I get my work copyrighted?

Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States (title 17, U.S. Code) to the authors of "original works of authorship," including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. This protection is available to both published and unpublished works.

Copyright protection can be obtained through the U.S. Copyright Office: http://www.copyright.gov/