UCI Theses and Disserations Manual - Copyrighting Your Manuscript
As the author of your thesis or dissertation, only you are legally entitled to authorize publication or reproduction of your intellectual property, although you may assign your rights to others.
Copyright is secured automatically when a work is created, which is when it is fixed in a tangible form for the first time. Under present U.S. copyright law, the term of the copyright is the author's life plus 70 years.
The use of copyright notice is the prerogative of the copyright owner and does not require advance permission from, or registration with, the U.S. Copyright Office. The use of such notice is highly recommended, because it informs the public that the work is protected by copyright, identifies the copyright owner, and shows the year of first publication.
The notice must contain the following three elements:
- The symbol © (the letter in a circle), or the word "Copyright"
- The year of publication (i.e., the year in which you are filing your manuscript)
- The name of the copyright owner (i.e., your name as it appears on the title page)
Example: © 2007 John Doe
If you choose not to include a copyright notice, insert a blank sheet of 100% cotton paper in its place.
You may choose to copyright your manuscript by including the copyright notice but not formally registering your copyright. However, to fully protect your rights in a copyright dispute and to be eligible for damages caused by infringement, you must register your copyright. You can register your copyright at any time within its term.
If you are submitting a Ph.D. dissertation, you may have the copyright registered for you by UMI Dissertation Services (a division of ProQuest Information and Learning Company). To do this, submit the UMI form and required fee (certified check or money order- UMI does not accept personal checks) to the University Archives when you submit your manuscript. UMI will register your copyright and submit your manuscript to the Library of Congress.
To register your copyright yourself, refer to section 6.3., Important Contacts.
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