Getting Started
This is a guide to library resources for graduate students in the School of Music working on a thesis or dissertation.
Use the tabs to the left to navigate the guide and see what resources we have available.
If you have questions about the Library or accessing resources related to your thesis or dissertation work that we didn't cover in this guide, please let us know! You can contact the librarians at mpal@library.illinois.edu or by clicking the "Email Me" button on the left.
***Please note: the information included in this guide regarding graduation and dissertation requirements is intended as a guideline only. Always check with the School of Music or the Graduate College Thesis Office if you have questions about these requirements as they will be best able to provide up to date information.
Getting Help
Need Research Help?
If you need help with your research or are having trouble tracking down the sources you need, you can make an appointment with a librarian to discuss your research one-on-one. Don't hesitate to reach out or schedule an appointment if you need help! You are also always welcome to ask for assistance at the service desk at MPAL.
Questions About Graduate Requirements?
If you have questions about graduate requirements, you can reach out to the School of Music Graduate Academic Affairs for clarification. They can be reached via email at music-acad-affairs@illinois.edu
We are also including links to the Graduate College Handbook and the Thesis Office below in case you want to consult policies or requirements yourself.
Guides to Researching & Writing About Music
As you conduct your research, you may find it helpful to consult some of the handbooks below to help guide you through the research process. For help with writing about music - including selecting the right terminology as well as general style tips - be sure to check out the next tab of this box!
The Craft of Research, Fourth Edition by Call Number: MPAL Reference Non-circulating Q180.55.M4 B66 2016This fundamental work explains how to find and evaluate sources, anticipate and respond to reader reservations, and integrate these pieces into an argument that stands up to reader critique. Bizup and FitzGerald provide fresh examples and standardized terminology to clarify concepts like argument, warrant, and problem.
Music Research by Call Number: MPAL Reference Non-circulating ML113 .S28M8 2020With a strong focus on the connection between music and writing, this comprehensive guide is ideal for use in both undergraduate and graduate music courses that require students to engage in library research or to write research papers.
A Guide to Library Research in Music by Call Number: Online ResourceA Guide to Library Research in Music introduces the process and techniques for researching and writing about music. It provides examples of different types of writing; offers a thorough introduction to music literature; describes various information-searching methods and library-based organizational systems; and explores the wide array of music resources.
Introduction to Research in Music by Call Number: MT1 W56I5Features a discussion of musical research, bibliographic tools, guides to print and electronic resources for research, specific research skills, discussion of the process of writing and editing a research paper on a musical topic, and analysis of an article from a musicological journal. The focus is on both music literature (books and writings about music) and music (scores, collected sets, thematic catalogues).
Writing about Music by Call Number: Online and MPAL Ready Reference Non-circulating ML3797 .H65W7 2014Extending the principles devised for the classical repertoires, this edition includes examples from world music, rock, jazz, popular music, and cinema. It covers some of the thorniest issues of musical discourse: how to go about describing musical works and procedures in prose, the rules for citations in notes and bibliography, and proper preparation of such materials as musical examples, tables, and illustrations.
Writing about Music by Call Number: MPAL Reference Non-circulating ML3797 W56W72002Writing About Music offers practical advice and guidance to help students master the special skills needed to write about this most-elusive of arts. The text serves as a guide for each phase in the process of researching and writing a paper on a musical topic, and preparing for other projects such as seminar presentations, concert reports, program notes and essay examinations.
How to Write About Music: the RILM Manual of Style by Call Number: Online ResourceThe manual addresses a multitude of special problems faced by writers on music–problems rarely solved by general writing guides. Detailed guidelines are provided for the bibliographic handling of standard print, audiovisual, and electronic sources, as well as specialized ones such as program notes, liner notes, and music videos. Third Edition (older editions available in print).
A Short Guide to Writing about Music by Call Number: ML3797 .B44S5 2007A Short Guide to Writing about Music parallels musical skills to writing skills, examining a wide range of writing tasks for undergraduate and graduate courses. Intended for all writers on music -- college through budding professional -- and far more than a course textbook, this brief and inexpensive text coaches writers how to approach, research, and write about music.
