Keyword Search
Keyword searches are the simplest way to begin research on a topic. Knowing your search terms is vital to any keyword search. To do this, analyze your topic and break it down into search terms in order to facilitate successful research. Common terms in music include: instrument/ensemble-specific terms, composer-specific terms, and region-specific terms. Here is an example search for reference.
- Research Topic: "Chopin's Nocturnes"
- Search Terms: Chopin, piano + solo, Paris, Nocturne
Advanced Search
Advanced Search lets you search across the Library Catalog with more filters than a Keyword Search. Through an Advanced Search, you can limits things such as: Material Type, Language, Date Published, and Publisher. An Advanced Search can help eliminate irrelevant search results more quickly than a Keyword Search. Both the Keyword Search and the Advanced Search use Boolean terms such as "AND", "OR" and "NOT" to help limit broad searches of the Catalog.
Title Search
The Title Search is most useful if you are searching for a specific resource. For example, to find the Norton Anthology of Music, simply type the name into Title Search and all editions of that resource will appear. It is important to note that using quotations marks in a Title Search will interfere with the search and its results (i.e. Norton Anthology of Music instead of "Norton Anthology of Music").
Subject Search
Subject Searches use the Library of Congress Subject headings as their search parameters. If you want to search for all resources with the same assigned subject heading, type the Library of Congress subject into the Subject Search bar and click enter. This search method is best for those trying to narrow down a topic in a broader subject.
