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Citation guide for music

A guide to citing music resources, with a focus on Chicago-style citation examples for various types of music materials

Introduction

To credit others' intellectual and creative works and to avoid plagiarism, it is important to cite all sources consulted in your paper. This guide will help you understand what citations are and how to present them in your academic work.

The primary focus here is the Chicago citation style which is one of the most commonly used formats in music. Information about other styles such as APA, IEEE, MLA and citing in foreign languages is also provided. 

Subject-specific styles

Different music disciplines may use different citation styles. Here is a general overview.

Book Cover of Chicago Manual of Style 2017 Book Cover of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed, 2020) Book Cover of IEEE Reference Guide Book Cover of MLA 2021

Chicago
Musicology
Music theory
Music education

APA
Music education
Performance sciences
IEEE
Music technology
Sound engineering
MLA
Social sciences
Language studies

Location and contacts

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Music Library Staff
Contact:
Marvin Duchow Music Library
Elizabeth Wirth Music Building
3rd floor - 527 Sherbrooke Street West
Montreal, Quebec H3A 1E3
514-398-4695
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Subjects: Music

Liaison Librarian

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Katie Lai
Contact:
Marvin Duchow Music Library
514-398-4695

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