Analysis of Publication Decisions forJournal of Research in Music EducationManuscripts (2009–2014)

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate characteristics of manuscripts submitted to the Journal of Research in Music Education ( JRME) representing various research methodologies. A database was compiled comprising all manuscripts that received a publication decision from February 2009 through March 2014 ( N = 506). Only submissions that went through the complete review process ( n = 423) were analyzed and included quantitative, qualitative, historical, and mixed methods research. The proportions of the 125 articles accepted for publication during this timeframe by research methodology category included 29.39% of the quantitative submissions and 27.41% of the qualitative submissions. Quantitative research represented 65.95% of submissions and 66.40% of acceptances, and qualitative represented 29.39% of submissions and 27.20% of acceptances. Historical studies and mixed methods studies each accounted for very small proportions of submissions and acceptances. Comparisons of the summative judgments that reviewers provided for the quantitative and qualitative articles when recommending against acceptance also were examined and found to be comparable. Data indicate that publications decisions were not systematically related to research methodology.