__ is the legal method of protecting the intellectual property of the author This is why plagiarism is unethical and against the law. Trademark Ethics Validation Copyright

The legal method of protecting the intellectual property of the author is Copyright. Plagiarism is unethical and against the law because it violates the rights granted to the author under copyright law. Trademark pertains to protecting brand identities, ethics involves moral principles, and validation refers to confirming the accuracy or validity of something.