Exploring the research mindset and information-seeking behaviors of undergraduate music students

Abstract

This article examines the mindset and process of undergraduate music majors conducting research in their discipline. While working with students in a writing-intensive music history class, the authors conducted several surveys, focus groups, and task-based assessments. Results indicated that most were overconfident in their research abilities, lacked experience with the research process, and struggled to locate and properly cite scholarly sources. Based on existing literature, music students exhibited research practices similar to those in other academic fields.