Effect as a noun means result. The effect of the policy is to change the way we do business. But effect can also be used as a verb, meaning to cause, or to bring about. The new policy will effect many changes. For most practical purposes, just remember that affect is a verb, as in an action that will cause some result.
Effect is a noun, meaning the result that is caused.
Use effect as a verb only sparingly. If not, maybe you should have been. Under current copyright law, don't spend a lot of time or effort trying to decide if a book, periodical, record, tape or piece of software is copyrighted. Just presume that it is copyright protected. Absence of the copyright symbol, the letter c in a circle, does not mean a piece of work does not have copyright protection.