Research Rack: Glossary

brainstorming - looking for solutions to problems by coming up with many possible answers

criteria - standards on which a judgment or decision may be based

copyright - protects the original expression of ideas, not the ideas themselves. It is free and automatically safeguards your original works of art, literature, music, films, broadcasts, and computer programs from being copied and from certain other infringements.

design - features of shape, configuration, pattern, or ornamentation that can be judged by the eye in finished products

evaluate - to decide the value or worth of something after a study

feedback - the giving of information about the value, effect, or result of an action or process taken

intellectual property (IP) - IP represents the property of your mind or intellect. Types of intellectual property include patents, trademarks, designs, confidential information/trade secrets, copyright, and so on.

innovations - improvements made to a product or idea that has already been invented that cause it to be something new

inspiration - something that moves a mind to create

invention - an original device, idea, or process originated after study and experiment--a discovery or a new finding

invention process - the act or power of inventing; a step-by-step way of inventing

inventor - someone who creates or produces an original device, idea, or process

log - a written record of daily activities kept by an inventor while working on an invention

model - a small but exact copy of something; a pattern or figure of something to be made

modify - to make changes to a product or process

patent - a written document that allows an inventor exclusive rights to make, use, or sell an invention for a number of years

prototype - an original model on which something is formed

scale - the size of a picture, plan, or model of a thing compared to the size of the thing itself

solution - an answer to a problem

survey - to ask someone questions in order to collect data needed to analyze an idea or product

trademark - can be a letter, number, word, phrase, sound, smell, shape, color, logo, picture, aspect of packaging, or any combination of these, which is used to distinguish goods and services of one trader from those of another