Getting Started with Research in Music at the Anne Potter Wilson Music Library

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My professor just handed out a research assignment. What do I do first?

I have thought of a topic that interests me. How do I find out if there's enough information for me to write a paper on it?

What are some standard reference works on Western Art Music? World Music? Jazz and Blues? Popular Music?

I think there's enough information available for me to write a paper on the topic I've chosen. Now what do I do?

I'm ready to start writing my paper. Do you have any suggestions for putting it together?

Are there any resources that discuss writing research papers?

My professor wants the bibliography of the paper formatted according to the Chicago Manual of Style. Do you have any guides that talk about this citation style?

My professor just handed out a research assignment. What do I do first?

1. Read the guidelines for the assignment carefully, taking note of the following:
   
   • What type of project is it? Is it a formal research paper, an analysis of a musical work or works, a concert review? The nature of the assignment will help you to determine what types of sources you need to use.
   • When is the project due? Is it divded into separate stages, and if so, is there a separate deadline for each stage? Your research project will go smoothly if you allow yourself ample time to complete each step.
2. Start thinking about your topic.
   • Have you been given a topic by your professor? If so, is it specific (i.e. analyze the first movement of Beethoven's 9th Symphony), or do you have the opportunity to tailor it to your own interests? (i.e. write a paper about some aspect of music during the Romantic Era)
   • If you have some freedom in deciding upon a topic, think about what you would like to study. If you can find a topic that captures you interest, you will have a far easier time writing your paper.

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I have thought of a topic that interests me. How do I find out if there's enough information available for me to write a paper on it?

The Reference Collection in the Music Library should be your first stop in the research process. There are a number of specialized dictionaries, encyclopedias, and subject bibliographies on music topics in our collection. These sources will give you general background information on your topic, as well as bibliographic references for further reading. Chances are, if there is an article or entry in a reference work on your topic, you will be able to find other books and articles about it.

You should also do some searching in ACORN, the Vanderbilt Library online catalog. If you are having trouble finding materials on your topic in the catalog, please stop by the Reference Desk for assistance. The Music Library staff will help you to refine your search strategies.

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What are some standard reference works on Western Art Music?

• The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Call No. Music Reference ML 100 .N48 2001
• The Harvard Dictionary of Music, 4th ed., Call No. Music Reference ML 100 .H37 2003
• The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, Call No. Music Reference ML 102 .O6 N5 1992
• The New Grove Dictionary of American Music, Call No. Music Reference ML 101 .U6 N48 1986
• Grove Music Online (This resource allows you to search the contents of The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, and The New Grove Dictonary of Jazz simultaneously.)

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Standard Reference Works on World Music:

• Ethnomusicology: A Research and Information Guide, Call No. Music Reference ML 128 .E8 P67 2004
• The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, Call No. Music Reference ML 100 .G16 1998

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Standard Reference Works on Jazz and Blues:

• The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz, Call No. Music Reference ML 102 .J3 F4 1999
• Encyclopedia of the Blues, Call No. Music Reference ML 102 .B6 H413 1997
• Folk and Blues: The Encyclopedia, Call No. Music Reference ML 102 .F66 S74 2001
• The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, 2nd ed., Call No. Music Reference ML 102 .J3 N48 2002 (You can also search the contents of this dictionary on Grove Music Online.)

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Standard Reference Works on Popular Music:

• Contemporary Musicians: Profiles of the People in Music, Call No. Music Reference ML 105 .C768 1989 v.1-54
• The Encyclopedia of Popular Music, 3rd ed., Call No. Music Reference ML 102 .P66 G84 1998
• Lissauer's Encyclopedia of Popular Music in America, 1888 to the Present, Call No. ML128 .P63 L57 1991
• The Penguin Encyclopedia of Popular Music, 2nd ed., Call No. Music Reference ML 102 .P66 P5 1998
• Popular Music Studies: A Select International Bibliography, Call No. Music Reference ML 128 .P63 P67 1997

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I think there's enough information available for me to write a paper on the topic I've chosen. Now what do I do?

1. Conduct a thorough search for sources. You should consider using the following databases and catalogs, depending upon the scope of your assignment:
   • ACORN - The Vanderbilt university Library catalog. Use this to find books, scores, sound recordings, and journal titles owned by Vanderbilt.
   • RILM - A database that includes citations for books, articles, and conference proceedings on topics in musicology, ehtnomusicology, theory, and analysis. Many of the citations include brief abstracts. Coverage dates from 1966 onward.
   • RIPM (Retrospective Indext to Music Periodicals) - A Database that includes citations for articles on music topics from periodicals and journals. Coverage dates from 1800-1950.
   • WorldCat - A catalog listing the holdings of national and some international libraries. WorldCat contains records for more than 35 million items. If Vanderbit does not own an item found in WorldCat, you can request it through interlibrary loan (ILL).
2. While conducting your search for sources, be sure to write down complete citations for any item that you plan to use for your assignment. You should always note the following information: author(s) (if applicable, editor and/or translator as well), complete title, place and date of publication, publisher. If the work is part of a larger volume (such as a book chapter), take note of the book's title as well. If the item is a journal article, write down the page numbers, journal title, volume, number, and year.
3. Determine the physical location of each item. Ask yourself the following questions:
   • Does Vanderbilt own a copy of it?
   • If so, which library owns it?
   • What is the call number of the item?
   • Is the item checked out? If so, place a recall for the item.
   • If Vanderbilt doesn't own the item, place an interlibrary loan request for it. Remember, the earlier you start you research, the easier it will be to get the resources that you need!
4. Once you have gathered sources, start reading and taking notes. Although note-taking may seem tedious, it will ultimately save you time when you sit down to write your paper.
5. Subdivide the research process into steps, and set deadlines for yourself. While the overall project will be governed by the deadlines set by your professor, you should consider the order in which you approach the elements of research and the amount of time you should allot to each part of the project.

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I'm ready to start writing my paper. Do you have any suggestions for putting it together?

1. Prepare a rough outline of your paper. Divide you paper into sections, and consider what information belongs where. Your earliest outline will not be very detailed. The goal at this stage is to formulate the order of your paper and the way that you will structure your argument.
2. Start writing the paper. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time for editing and revising after you have completed an initial draft. Once you have an initial draft, you can begin the process of editing and proofreading your paper. It is a good idea to ask someone to read the final draft of your paper before you turn it in. A second pair of eyes sometimes catches additional mistakes.
3. Be sure to document all materials borrowed from your sources with footnotes!
   • A Definition of Plagiarism: "You plagiarize when, intentionally or not, you use someone else's words or ideas but fail to credit that person. You plagiarize even when youdo credit the author, but use his exact words without so indicating with quotation marks or block indentation. You also plagiarize when you use words so close to those in your source that if you placed your work next to the source, you would see that you could not have written wat you edid without the source at your elbow." -- Wayne C. Booth, Gregory C. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams, The Craft of Research (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1995), 167.
   • If you have any questions about plagiarism, speak to your professor or a librarian. The Honor Code is taken seriously at Vanderbilt, and violators will be held accountable for their actions.

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Are there any resources that discuss writing research papers?

Yes! You might want to take a look at one (or all) of these books:

• Booth, Wayne C., Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams. The Craft of Research, 2nd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003. Call No. Central Reserve Q180.55 .M4 B66 2003
• The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003. Call No. Music Reference Z 253 .U69 2003
• Wingell, Richard J. Writing About Music: An Introductory Guide, 3rd ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2002. Call No. Music Reference ML 3797 .W54 2002

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My professor wants the bibliography of the paper formatted according to the Chicago Manual of Style. Do you have any guides that talk about this citation style?

Yes! There are two manuals in the Music Library devoted to the Chicago style:

• The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003. Call No. Music Reference Z 253 .U69 2003
• Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 6th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996. Call No. Music Reference LB 2369 .T8 1996

You may also want to refer to the Music Library's web page on citing works.

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