Evaluating

There is a great deal of material available for many of the topics you will be researching, and you will need to exercise some choice in preparing your bibliography. Works may contain inaccurate information, or omit to take into account crucial aspects of a topic. They may reflect the bias or prejudice of the author, or they simply may not be very relevant to your topic. The ability to evaluate sources critically is an important skill to develop. You should also evaluate the range of the material that you have obtained. Do you have a good balance of primary and secondary Sources, of books, articles and music?

There are several basic criteria, which will be explored in more detail in the following sections, that will allow you to select the most appropriate and helpful material from the potentially large quantity of material which you may find.

Before looking at these you must remember that as a university student you are expected to consult specialist academic texts. General references, such as the Encyclopedia Britannica, and school text books or books intended for the general public, such Kamien's Music: An Appreciation are not appropriate for tertiary level work. Wikipedia is not an authoritative source, and is not an appropriate for work at this level. You will not be able to write a satisfactory essay based only on the books in your own personal library: specialised research is essential.

Likewise, most internet sites are not suitable, although online resources such as Grove Music Online and many online periodicals are notable exceptions.