Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: mutual insurance
A publication is when something is made known to the public. This can be done to share knowledge or give notice. In copyright law, publication means distributing copies of a work to the public by selling or transferring ownership. It can also include offering copies to a group of people for further distribution or display. Publicly performing or displaying a work does not count as publication. Publication usually happens when copies of the work are first made available to the public.
A publication is the act of making something known to the public. This can be done to share knowledge or give notice. In copyright law, publication has a specific meaning. According to 17 U.S.C. §101, publication is the distribution of copies or phonorecords of a work to the public by sale or other transfer of ownership. This means that when a work is made available to the public, it is considered published.
These examples illustrate how publication involves making something available to the public. When a newspaper article is published, it is printed and distributed to readers. When a book is published, it is printed and made available for purchase. When a scientific study is published, it is printed in a journal and made available to other researchers to read and cite.