A Descriptive Analysis of Qualitative Research Published in Two Eminent Music Education Research Journals

Abstract For this study qualitative studies published in two eminent American research journah (Journal of Research of Music Education and Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education) were reviewed in an effort to provide a general description of the state of qualitative inquiry in music education. The review included identification of frequently used research methods and commonly cited foundational sources. Results indicated that the number of qualitative reports published in these two journals has increased substantially the past several years, and that the overall number of researchers who have published qualitative research is steadily growing. Ethnography and case study research seem to be the most commonly used methods, and analysis revealed a body of 3-4 specific sources consistently used to guide the methodologies used in the articles reviewed. paper concludes with suggestions of future directions for research grounded in naturalistic inquiry.