Copyright protects "original works of authorship" that are fixed in a tangible form of expression. The fixation need not be directly perceptible, so long as it may be communicated with the aid of a machine or device. Copyrightable works include the following categories:
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literary works;
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musical works, including any accompanying words;
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dramatic works, including any accompanying music;
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pantomimes and choreographic works;
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pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works;
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motion pictures and other audiovisual works;
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sound recordings; and
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architectural works.
These categories should be viewed quite broadly: for example, computer programs and most "compilations" are registrable as "literary works;" maps and architectural plans are registrable as "pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works."