Kristin Heath

I have been teaching Music Research Methods (formerly Research Seminar), a required mini course for music graduate students, since Fall 2003. There are about 35-45 new music graduate students who need to take the course within their first semester each year.

This course is an introduction to music research for music graduate students. Students learn to apply a variety of print and online music resources available in Hunt Library and area libraries toward researching and writing a program note. Students also explore resources for composers from marginalized communities. Several of the skills exercised in this class are required in the Graduate Comprehensive Examination.

The basic goals I have for my students are that they gain an understanding of how the library is organized, realize what resources are available for them to use, and feel comfortable using them on and off campus. On a deeper level, I want to instill a process in them that they can draw upon after the course is over and throughout life when research needs arise, whether music related or not.