Research Guides: Music : Research Basics

Search Strategy for Music Projects

Getting Started

When starting to research a music topic, it's often best to start with a reference source that is related to your topic, such as The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians or The Greenwood Encyclopaedia of Rock History. Search the library search tool and the eBook collection to locate this type of source or refer to the sources listed in the Backgound & General Information section found on this page.

Background & General Information

Starting with background information will give you an overview of your topic, identify important people and events, and provide a time frame. Getting the basic information helps you create more effective search strategies. However, information found in general encyclopedias such as Encyclopedia Britannica or Funk &Wagnall's New Encyclopedia cannot be cited or used as a source for your research project.

Grove Music Online (Oxford University Press) This link opens in a new window
Grove Music Online is intended for background and in-depth research in music, musicians, music-making, and the history of music. Resources include The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz (2nd ed.), The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, The Norton Grove Dictionary of Women Composers, The Grove Dictionary of American Music (2nd ed.), The Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments (2nd ed.), The Oxford Companion to Music, and the Oxford Dictionary of Music.
Note: This database has a limited license of 3 simultaneous users.

Jontavious Willis, blues guitarist

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