Qualitative Research in Music: A Closer Look at Five Approaches

This session will focus on similarities and differences of common qualitative approaches, including case study, ethnography, narrative inquiry, grounded theory, and phenomenology. Examples of each approach will be highlighted. Methodological and ethical challenges with research subjects will be discussed.

Elizabeth Cassidy Parker: A specialist in developing healthy and resonant children’s singing voices in general and choral contexts, Elizabeth Cassidy Parker is Associate Professor of Music Education at Temple University and Co-Artistic Director of the Commonwealth Youthchoirs, a youth choral program serving more than 600 singers. Parker’s research focuses on gathering adolescent perspectives of music and identity. Her recently released book, Adolescents on Music, proposes a theory of adolescent musical identity development. Parker’s full bio can be found here.