Here is a real-life search question which illustrates the importance of detailed and thorough research. Someone asked me how to cite the following music example from a book that they wanted to use. The book did not provide a reference or citation for the item, so I suggested they should find the original source and cite that source.
Exercise 1. The task is to find the original source for this musical example.
Masura J. Riepka, 1752
For the purposes of this exercise, do not start with the catalog or any of the Library subscription databases (RILM, Music Periodicals Index, Multi-Search, etc.). While it may not be impossible to find the answer using the Library sources mentioned, they will not easily get you started the answer. They would be helpful later in the search process.
Assuming you had already looked at the subscription Library databases and not found an answer, try searching Google Scholar or Google as they have powerful search algorithms and search full text.
| Step 1. Begin your search in Google Scholar and answer the questions as you proceed through your search. |
There are 3 search concepts: a name (J. Riepka) , a title or term (Masura) and a year (1752). Perform the following searches in Google Scholar and record your search results
| Search Terms |
Results # |
Any article(s) look promising and a source for the answer |
| riepka AND masura AND 1752 |
0 |
No |
| riepka AND masura |
0 |
No |
| riepka AND 1752 |
0 |
No |
| masura AND 1752 |
1,060 |
Yes |
| riepka |
80 |
Not sure |
| masura |
43,900 |
No, nothing about music at the top of the list |
| riepka AND music |
11 |
Not sure, all in German |
| masura AND music |
4,250 |
Yes |
Observation: For the single search terms riepka and masura a good portion of the results will not be related to music since we are searching a full text database covering all discipline.
Add the word music to the search to try and narrow the results ( riepka AND music; masura AND music)
| Step 2. Look at specific citations in Google Scholar that seem promising. What stands out to you? |
Looking at the citations with masura AND 1752 there are a couple of citations where the terms are clearly visible in some text. I also see the name J. Riepel which bears some similarity to the name being searched --riepka
Search Results Example masura AND 1752
Again, the search for masura and music returns the same citation seen in the search masurea 1752. The snippets of text provided are different this time as the search terms were different.
Search Results Example masura AND music
1 Citation at top of both searches
[BOOK] When etymologists dance the mazurka
T Piotrowski - academia.edu
… , and appears for the first time in 1752, in, what is significant, a German source, J. Riepel’s
Anfangsgründe zur musikalischen Setzkunst, where it had the form masura (Stęszewski, 596; …
Looking at the full text of this book chapter I can see in the first couple pages two times when Riepel AND masura AND 1752 appear in the text.
Search masura in PDF of article. First masura reference (p.2) example
Search masura in PDF of article. First masura reference (p.3) example
Google Search
After seeing Google Scholar you will consider searching this subset of Google before using Google as your default first search. Of course, Google is a powerful search tool and useful for research. If you had gone to Google and typed riepka masura 1752 first two web sites at the top of the list could lead you to the correct answer.
The first web site is is an essay about the mazurka from the Polish Music Center.
The mazur and mazurek (i.e. small mazur), or in English mazurka, are general terms for a series of Polish folk dances in triple meter, which originated in the plains of Mazovia around Warsaw. ...This term appears for the first time in J. Riepel’s music dictionary published in Germany in 1752.
Google Search Results Polish Music Center Example - riepka masura 1752
The second web site is from Wikipedia and is an article on Joseph Riepel and again the work Anfangsgründe zur musikalischen Setzkunst and the date 1752 appear in the article but no mention of masura.
2nd Web Site in list of results for Google search riepka masura 1752
The information provided in Google (the web site for the Polish Music Center and the Wikipedia article may not seem as clear as the article(s) in Google Scholar, but the basic information is present.
Observations:
- Searching Google Scholar and Google are options when you are not finding information using Library sources.
- Google Scholar and Google are searching extremely large collections of information
- Google Scholar and Google use very different search algorithms than most Library databases. Library databases are often looking for an exact match to what you type in the search. Google Scholar and Google search items which may be similar to what you search, but not exactly what you typed. Often, you will see a message in Google -- Including results for riepka mazurka 1752 ; Search only for riepka masura 1752. Google is trying to interpret your search
- Verify the information gathered from Google Scholar and Google and find additional articles/references using the terms: Riepel (masura OR mazur Or mazurka) and 1752.
Exercise 1. The task was to find the original source for this musical example.
Masura J. Riepka, 1752
Exercise 1 Answer: Anfangsgründe zur musikalischen Setzkunst (1752) Jospeh Riepel.
