A bibliography of at least four sources (not including musical scores or recordings) should be appended to the essay.  Don’t use the textbook or anthology as a principal source for your essay.
In searching for sources, consider beginning with the Grove Music Online (part of Oxford Music Online, accessible through the McMaster Library Website), where bibliographies for a wide array of music topics can be found.  Also, the JSTOR and The Music Index Online are a good resources, available through the online library catalogue.  As a general guide, try to use the most up-to date scholarship for your research.  Do not use the textbook (or other such general works as Joseph Machliss Enjoyment of Music) or CD liner notes as sources for your essay.  Also, because of the vast quantity and varying quality of information available on the internet, you need to take particular care when selecting online sources. If your sources are poor, the quality of your work can suffer significantly.

A good resource for students wanting to improve clarity and expression in their writing is Style by Joseph Williams (various editions) which includes a series of helpful writing exercises. For specific information on writing academic papers about music consult Jonathan D. Bellman, A Short Guide to Writing about Music (New York: Pearson Longman, 2007).  For further help with essay writing check the resources provided by the Student Success Centre <http://studentsuccess.mcmaster.ca/students/academic-skills.html> which provides ESL support, writing clinics, workshops, online tutorials, and other resources.