Music History and Appreciation

When conducting research, there are several types of materials available for learning about your topic, including

• Books that can give in depth information on a specific aspect of a topic
• General reference materials like encyclopedias that provide general background information and overviews
• Journal articles that provide current research and analysis in the field
• Magazine or newspaper articles that might provide a more informal analysis or opinions
• Web sites, especially ones that end in .edu, .org, or .gov

When researching using the Library Search for books, the databases, or search engines like Google, try searching using the following words (plus "music") as a keyword search to find information on music in a specific time period:

Another option is to search by the century itself (plus "music"), such as 

• 20th century
• Twentieth century

Music books can be found under the call numbers beginning with ML (literature on music) and MT (instruction and study). On the Downtown JCTC campus, these books are located on the second floor of the Learning Commons. You can get help by asking for a reference librarian at the front desk on the first or second floor.

Researching at the Learning Commons (32:10)

We know that the research process can often be overwhelming and intimidating, but we are here to help! This video provides an in-depth review to using the databases and tools available to you as a Jefferson student. You can also find more information on our Using Databases Learning Guide. If you would like more personalized help, we also offer research tutoring at the Learning Commons.