Who owns a research record, rule by rule
5 of the 10 rules read in the US and GB put a research record first with the award recipient, employer or institution, newest read 28 October 2026.
Who it puts first
What the funder or government keeps
The operative words
All the answers, instrument by instrument
Every row is a single instrument, and every answer expands to the wording it was taken from, the text it came from and when it was read. "Not stated" is used when the text says nothing on the point.
| Instrument | Who it puts first | What the funder or government keeps | The operative words |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 USC 102, what copyright covers | not statedNot addressed in US Copyright Office, title 17 chapter 1 | not statedNot addressed in US Copyright Office, title 17 chapter 1 | In no case does copyright protection for an original work of authorship extend to any… |
| 17 USC 201, ownership of copyright | the award recipient, the employer or the institution | not statedNot addressed in US Copyright Office, title 17 chapter 2 | Copyright in a work protected under this title vests initially in the author or authors… |
| 2 CFR 200.315, intangible property under a Federal award | the award recipient, the employer or the institution | a licence to use, reproduce or publish | Title to intangible property acquired under a Federal award vests upon acquisition in the… |
| 37 CFR 401.14, the Bayh-Dole patent rights clause | the award recipient, the employer or the institution | title if the recipient fails to act | A Federal agency may require the contractor to convey title to the Federal agency of any… |
| Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997, regulation 13 | not statedNot addressed in legislation.gov.uk, SI 1997/3032 reg 13 | not statedNot addressed in legislation.gov.uk, SI 1997/3032 reg 13 | A property right (“database right”) subsists, in accordance with this Part, in a database… |
| Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997, regulation 14 | the maker of a database | not statedNot addressed in legislation.gov.uk, SI 1997/3032 reg 14 | Where a database is made by an employee in the course of his employment, his employer… |
| Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, section 11 | the award recipient, the employer or the institution | not statedNot addressed in legislation.gov.uk, CDPA 1988 s11 | The author of a work is the first owner of any copyright in it, subject to the following… |
| FAR 52.227-14, rights in data under a federal contract | the funder or the government | a licence to use, reproduce or publish | The Contractor shall have the right to- (i) Assert copyright in data first produced in… |
| Patents Act 1977, section 39 | the award recipient, the employer or the institution | not statedNot addressed in legislation.gov.uk, Patents Act 1977 s39 | an invention made by an employee shall, as between him and his employer, be taken to… |
| UKRI policy on making research data open | not statedNot addressed in UKRI, making your research data open | a right to access, or an expectation of sharing | They should be made openly available with as few restrictions as possible in a timely and… |
Where each answer was read (33)
- 17 USC 102, what copyright covers, US Copyright Office, title 17 chapter 1, read 2026-10-27, Who it puts first: Nothing on this text answers it (389,618 characters of text text, read 2026-10-27).
- 17 USC 102, what copyright covers, US Copyright Office, title 17 chapter 1, read 2026-10-27, What the funder or government keeps: Nothing on this text answers it (389,618 characters of text text, read 2026-10-27).
- 17 USC 102, what copyright covers, US Copyright Office, title 17 chapter 1, read 2026-10-27, The operative words:
In no case does copyright protection for an original work of authorship extend to any idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery
- 17 USC 201, ownership of copyright, US Copyright Office, title 17 chapter 2, read 2026-10-28, Who it puts first:
In the case of a work made for hire, the employer or other person for whom the work was prepared is considered the author for purposes of this title
- 17 USC 201, ownership of copyright, US Copyright Office, title 17 chapter 2, read 2026-10-28, What the funder or government keeps: Nothing on this text answers it (13,848 characters of text text, read 2026-10-28).
- 17 USC 201, ownership of copyright, US Copyright Office, title 17 chapter 2, read 2026-10-28, The operative words:
Copyright in a work protected under this title vests initially in the author or authors of the work.
- 2 CFR 200.315, intangible property under a Federal award, eCFR, 2 CFR 200.315, read 2026-10-28, Who it puts first:
Title to intangible property acquired under a Federal award vests upon acquisition in the recipient or subrecipient.
- 2 CFR 200.315, intangible property under a Federal award, eCFR, 2 CFR 200.315, read 2026-10-28, What the funder or government keeps:
The Federal agency reserves a royalty-free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable right to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the work for Federal purposes and to authorize others to do so.
- 2 CFR 200.315, intangible property under a Federal award, eCFR, 2 CFR 200.315, read 2026-10-28, The operative words:
Title to intangible property acquired under a Federal award vests upon acquisition in the recipient or subrecipient.
- 37 CFR 401.14, the Bayh-Dole patent rights clause, eCFR, 37 CFR 401.14, read 2026-10-28, Who it puts first:
With respect to any subject invention in which the Contractor retains title, the Federal government shall have a nonexclusive, nontransferable, irrevocable, paid-up license
- 37 CFR 401.14, the Bayh-Dole patent rights clause, eCFR, 37 CFR 401.14, read 2026-10-28, What the funder or government keeps:
If the contractor fails to disclose or elect title to the subject invention within the times specified in paragraph (c) of this clause, or elects not to retain title.
- 37 CFR 401.14, the Bayh-Dole patent rights clause, eCFR, 37 CFR 401.14, read 2026-10-28, The operative words:
A Federal agency may require the contractor to convey title to the Federal agency of any subject invention
- Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997, regulation 13, legislation.gov.uk, SI 1997/3032 reg 13, read 2026-10-08, Who it puts first: Nothing on this text answers it (4,747 characters of text text, read 2026-10-08).
- Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997, regulation 13, legislation.gov.uk, SI 1997/3032 reg 13, read 2026-10-08, What the funder or government keeps: Nothing on this text answers it (4,747 characters of text text, read 2026-10-08).
- Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997, regulation 13, legislation.gov.uk, SI 1997/3032 reg 13, read 2026-10-08, The operative words:
A property right (“database right”) subsists, in accordance with this Part, in a database if there has been a substantial investment in obtaining, verifying or presenting the contents of the database.
- Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997, regulation 14, legislation.gov.uk, SI 1997/3032 reg 14, read 2026-10-27, Who it puts first:
the person who takes the initiative in obtaining, verifying or presenting the contents of a database and assumes the risk of investing in that obtaining, verification or presentation shall be regarded as the maker of, and as having made, the database.
- Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997, regulation 14, legislation.gov.uk, SI 1997/3032 reg 14, read 2026-10-27, What the funder or government keeps: Nothing on this text answers it (6,277 characters of text text, read 2026-10-27).
- Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997, regulation 14, legislation.gov.uk, SI 1997/3032 reg 14, read 2026-10-27, The operative words:
Where a database is made by an employee in the course of his employment, his employer shall be regarded as the maker of the database, subject to any agreement to the contrary.
- Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, section 11, legislation.gov.uk, CDPA 1988 s11, read 2026-10-08, Who it puts first:
is made by an employee in the course of his employment, his employer is the first owner of any copyright in the work subject to any agreement to the contrary.
- Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, section 11, legislation.gov.uk, CDPA 1988 s11, read 2026-10-08, What the funder or government keeps: Nothing on this text answers it (4,991 characters of text text, read 2026-10-08).
- Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, section 11, legislation.gov.uk, CDPA 1988 s11, read 2026-10-08, The operative words:
The author of a work is the first owner of any copyright in it, subject to the following provisions.
- FAR 52.227-14, rights in data under a federal contract, Acquisition.gov, FAR 52.227-14, read 2026-10-28, Who it puts first:
the Government shall have unlimited rights in- (i) Data first produced in the performance of this contract;
- FAR 52.227-14, rights in data under a federal contract, Acquisition.gov, FAR 52.227-14, read 2026-10-28, What the funder or government keeps:
Unlimited rights means the rights of the Government to use, disclose, reproduce, prepare derivative works, distribute copies to the public, and perform publicly and display publicly, in any manner and for any purpose
- FAR 52.227-14, rights in data under a federal contract, Acquisition.gov, FAR 52.227-14, read 2026-10-28, The operative words:
The Contractor shall have the right to- (i) Assert copyright in data first produced in the performance of this contract
- FAR 52.227-14, rights in data under a federal contract, eCFR, 48 CFR 52.227-14, read 2026-10-28, Who it puts first:
the Government shall have unlimited rights in— (i) Data first produced in the performance of this contract;
- FAR 52.227-14, rights in data under a federal contract, eCFR, 48 CFR 52.227-14, read 2026-10-28, What the funder or government keeps:
the Government shall have unlimited rights in— (i) Data first produced in the performance of this contract;
- FAR 52.227-14, rights in data under a federal contract, eCFR, 48 CFR 52.227-14, read 2026-10-28, The operative words:
The Contractor shall have the right to— (i) Assert copyright in data first produced in the performance of this contract
- Patents Act 1977, section 39, legislation.gov.uk, Patents Act 1977 s39, read 2026-10-28, Who it puts first:
an invention made by an employee shall, as between him and his employer, be taken to belong to his employer for the purposes of this Act and all other purposes
- Patents Act 1977, section 39, legislation.gov.uk, Patents Act 1977 s39, read 2026-10-28, What the funder or government keeps: Nothing on this text answers it (6,042 characters of text text, read 2026-10-28).
- Patents Act 1977, section 39, legislation.gov.uk, Patents Act 1977 s39, read 2026-10-28, The operative words:
an invention made by an employee shall, as between him and his employer, be taken to belong to his employer
- UKRI policy on making research data open, UKRI, making your research data open, read 2026-10-28, Who it puts first: Nothing on this text answers it (9,464 characters of text text, read 2026-10-28).
- UKRI policy on making research data open, UKRI, making your research data open, read 2026-10-28, What the funder or government keeps:
They should be made openly available with as few restrictions as possible in a timely and responsible manner.
- UKRI policy on making research data open, UKRI, making your research data open, read 2026-10-28, The operative words:
They should be made openly available with as few restrictions as possible in a timely and responsible manner.
How the figures are worked out
Each instrument's own the statutes, regulations and funder policies in the US and GB were read through estate-fetch and stored whole (sha256 on every row).
For every text, three questions were answered from its own words: who it puts first, what the funder or government keeps, the operative words.
Every stated answer carries the sentence it rests on, checked against the stored text; 'not stated' means the text read does not address the question.
A instrument with several texts reads 'varies' where they disagree.
10 instruments, 11 texts.
The 11 pages we read
- eCFR, eCFR :: 2 CFR 200.315 -- Intangible property. (cited for reporting; the publisher's own the statutes, regulations and funder policies in the US and GB)
- eCFR, eCFR :: 37 CFR 401.14 -- Standard patent rights clauses. (cited for reporting; the publisher's own the statutes, regulations and funder policies in the US and GB)
- Acquisition.gov (FAR), 52.227-14 Rights in Data-General. | Acquisition.GOV (cited for reporting; the publisher's own the statutes, regulations and funder policies in the US and GB)
- eCFR, eCFR :: 48 CFR 52.227-14 -- Rights in Data-General. (FAR 52.227-14) (cited for reporting; the publisher's own the statutes, regulations and funder policies in the US and GB)
- US Copyright Office, Chapter 1 - Circular 92 | U.S. Copyright Office (cited for reporting; the publisher's own the statutes, regulations and funder policies in the US and GB)
- US Copyright Office, Chapter 2 - Circular 92 | U.S. Copyright Office (cited for reporting; the publisher's own the statutes, regulations and funder policies in the US and GB)
- legislation.gov.uk, Patents Act 1977 (cited for reporting; the publisher's own the statutes, regulations and funder policies in the US and GB)
- legislation.gov.uk, Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (cited for reporting; the publisher's own the statutes, regulations and funder policies in the US and GB)
- legislation.gov.uk, The Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997 (cited for reporting; the publisher's own the statutes, regulations and funder policies in the US and GB)
- legislation.gov.uk, The Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997 (cited for reporting; the publisher's own the statutes, regulations and funder policies in the US and GB)
- UKRI, Making your research data open – UKRI (cited for reporting; the publisher's own the statutes, regulations and funder policies in the US and GB)
Use this figure
5 of the 10 rules read in the US and GB put a research record first with the award recipient, employer or institution, newest read 28 October 2026.
Who it puts first, by instrument: the award recipient, the employer or the institution 5 of 10, not stated 3 of 10, the maker of a database 1 of 10, the funder or the government 1 of 10 (10 instruments, read 28 October 2026).
What the funder or government keeps, by instrument: not stated 6 of 10, a licence to use, reproduce or publish 2 of 10, a right to access, or an expectation of sharing 1 of 10, title if the recipient fails to act 1 of 10 (10 instruments, read 28 October 2026).
The operative words, by instrument: stated 10 of 10 (10 instruments, read 28 October 2026).
Credit as: "Who owns a research record, rule by rule", updated 2026-10-28, https://sellscientificdatatoai.com/datasets/research-data-ownership-rules/.
CSV download (33 answers; derived 2026-10-28)