What three things are included in a copyright notice?

The three things included on a copyright notice are the copyright symbol, the year of first publication and the owner of the copyright. While once required by law, the copyright notice is now an optional symbol used at the discretion of the copyright owner.

The purpose of the copyright notice is to notify everyone of the fact the work is copyright protected. When it appears on a particular work, no one can plead ignorance of the work's protection. The copyright symbol is the letter "C" inside of a circle. In its stead, the owner may choose to use the word "Copyright" or its abbreviation "Copr."