How to Find Primary Sources for Articles About Blues Music
Contents
How to Find Primary Sources for Articles About Blues Music. This guide will show you how to find the best primary sources for your research on blues music.
Start with a search engine
When you want to find out information about a topic, it’s important to start with a search engine. You can find out a lot of basic information about blues music by searching for it on a search engine. However, if you want to find primary sources for your articles, you’ll have to dig a little deeper.
Use keyword research to choose your topic
When you’re ready to start writing your article, the first step is to choose a topic. A good place to start is with a keyword research tool like Google AdWords Keyword Planner.
Enter a few terms related to your topic into the keyword planner and see what comes up. You can also use the “Google Suggest” function to get some ideas. Look for terms that have a high number of monthly searches and low competition. These are the terms that people are actually searching for, and you should be able to rank highly for them if you use them in your article.
Once you’ve chosen a term, it’s time to start looking for primary sources. These are the sources that will give your article authority and credibility, so it’s important to choose them carefully. Here are a few places to look:
Use advanced search features to find primary sources
There are a few ways to find primary sources for your research. Start with a search engine, such as Google, and use the advanced search features to narrow your results. For example, you can search for “blues music” and then use the “Tools” menu to select “Only results with full text.” This will eliminate results that only have an abstract or brief summary.
You can also try searching for specific primary sources, such as oral history interviews or field recordings. The Library of Congress website is a good place to start. Another option is to search for digital collections of primary sources, such as the Digital Public Library of America.
Use online databases
Find primary sources in JSTOR
To find primary sources in JSTOR, start by doing a keyword search for your topic. Then, on the search results page, click the “Advanced Search”link. On the advanced search page, scroll down to the “Content”section and select “Articles.” Then, under “Include only,” check the box next to “Primary Sources.” Finally, click “Search.”
Find primary sources in Google Scholar
Google Scholar is a great place to start your search for primary sources. Simply enter your topic into the search bar and click on the “Articles” tab. Then, use the filters on the left-hand side of the page to narrow your results by date, type of source, and more.
Use library resources
If you want to find primary sources for articles about blues music, your best bet is to use library resources. Many libraries subscribe to databases that contain full-text articles from a variety of sources. You can also find primary sources in the Library of Congress, which has a large collection of blues music.
Find primary sources in the Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world, with more than 150 million items in its collections. The Music Division houses over five million items, including more than two million sound recordings. You can access many of these items online through the Library’s website.
To find primary sources for your research on blues music, start by searching the Library’s Catalog. Use keywords such as “blues music” or the name of a specific musician. You can narrow your results by adding additional keywords, such as “Recordings” or “Manuscripts.”
If you find a title that looks promising, click on the link to view more information about the item. The catalog record will tell you where the item is located and how to access it. For example, some items are only available onsite at the Library of Congress, while others can be accessed online.
You can also visit the Music Division’s reading room to consult materials that are not available online. A reference librarian can assist you in finding materials that are relevant to your research.
Find primary sources in WorldCat
WorldCat is a good place to start your search for primary sources. WorldCat is a union catalog that itemizes the collections of 72,000 libraries in 170 countries and territories. To use WorldCat:
Go to www.worldcat.org.
In the Search box, type in keywords related to your topic. For example, if you are researching Muddy Waters, you might type in Muddy Waters and Mississippi Delta and blues.
Click on the Search button.
You will see a list of items related to your topic. If you see an item that looks promising, click on its title to get more information about it.
Once you have found an item that looks promising, click on the Find in a Library link to see if it is available in a library near you. If so, you can then request it through interlibrary loan.
If you do not find what you are looking for in WorldCat, try searching in one of the following databases:
-African American Music Reference
-America: History and Life
-Blues Research Database
Use other online resources
When researching the history of the blues, it is important to use a variety of sources in order to get a well-rounded perspective. While online resources can be helpful, it is important to remember that not all information on the internet is reliable. In order to find reliable and credible sources, it is important to look for primary sources.
Find primary sources in the National Archives
If you’re researching a topic related to blues music, the National Archives can be a great place to find primary sources. The National Archives holds many documents, photographs, and other records related to the history of blues music in the United States.
To access records from the National Archives, you’ll need to create an account and login. Once you’re logged in, you can use the search function to find records related to your topic. You can also browse records by topic or record type.
If you’re not sure where to start, try searching for “blues music” or browsing through the records relating to Music and Dance.
Find primary sources in the Digital Public Library of America
The Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) is a great place to start your search for primary sources on blues music. The DPLA is a digital library that makes millions of items from libraries, archives, and museums around the United States available online. You can use the DPLA’s search engine to find primary sources on blues music by doing a keyword search or by browsing the collection by topic.
To find primary sources on blues music using the DPLA’s search engine, simply enter keywords related to your topic into the search bar. For example, if you are interested in finding primary sources on the history of blues music, you could try searching for “blues history.” Once you have entered your keywords and hit enter, you will be taken to a results page where you can further narrow down your search by using the filters on the left-hand side of the page. These filters include things like content type, date, format, and institution. You can also use the “Refine your search” section at the top of the results page to add more keywords or remove some of your initial keywords.
If you would prefer to browse the DPLA’s collection by topic instead of searching, you can do so by clicking on the “Topics” tab at the top of the homepage. On the Topics page, you will see a list of popular topics, as well as a list of all available topics arranged alphabetically. If you scroll down to “B,” you will find a list of all topics that begin with “B,” including “Blues.” Clicking on “Blues” will take you to a curated selection of primary sources on blues music from libraries, archives, and museums around the United States.
