This study considered the sources of facilitating experiences and strategies for thesis writing from doctoral students and graduates (N = 30). The sample was balanced between science and social science knowledge areas, with equal numbers of English as Second Language (ESL) participants in both groups. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were used to explore issues around feedback, training, cohort experiences and personal strategies for writing. Four hundred pages of transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis with the assistance of specialist software (NVivo). A generative model of academic writing development was chosen to frame the analysis. Fifteen themes emerged, three of which are discussed: supervisors' feedback, personal organisation and ESL learning strategies. Results show the perceived benefits of individually tailored supportive feedback and the importance of the students' resilience. Original learning strategies from ESL students that may benefit non-ESL students are also considered. The conclusions outline implications for supervisors and students across knowledge areas.

This article draws on and extends a four-year investigation of creativity in music education with particular reference to the perceptions of six secondary school teachers (Odena & Welch, 2007;Odena, Plummeridge, & Welch, 2005). A comprehensive review of recent literature in musical creativity is provided, which complements and reinforces the theoretical framework of the original study. A qualitative approach was used for data gathering, including a video elicitation interview technique and Musical Career Path questionnaires. Transcripts were subsequently categorized using NVivo. Taking into account other recent studies, previously unpublished data is examined and a generative model of how the teachers' thinking about creativity might develop over time is suggested: the teachers' past in-and out-of-school experiences and their daily classroom teaching shape their perceptions of musical creativity; this occurs as a continuing interaction that has the potential to modify the teachers' perceptions over time. Educational implications are considered in the conclusion.

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This article reports a qualitative investigation of the perceptions on cross-community music education activities of 14 key practitioners with experience with the two main communities in Northern Ireland (NI), Protestant and Catholic. The segregation of the NI education system is outlined in the first section, which is followed by a review of literature, cross-community projects, and the research methodology. Two hundred and sixteen pages of interview transcripts were analysed with NVivo. Interviewees reflected on current activities and on memories of their own experiences when younger, their fears and hopes. They explained how such projects are and have been organised in NI. The participants' perceptions are discussed, including their comments on 'Project processes and effectiveness', 'Music education potential' and 'Music as a sign of identity'. The reported educational activities and aims vary depending on a number of factors, one of the most important being the level of acknowledgement of integration of the educational setting, which appears to be influenced by the socio-economic environment. It is apparent that cross-community music education projects have been and continue to be an effective means of addressing prejudice amongst young people. Nevertheless, the context of each educational setting delimits the potential of such projects. Educational implications are examined in the conclusion.

This paper examines the relationship between six secondary school teachers' backgrounds and their perceptions of musical creativity. A unit of work involving composition and improvisation activities with pupils aged 11-14 was videotaped for each teacher. Participants were invited to comment on the videotapes during interviews, which were subsequently analysed using content analysis with the assistance of the computer programme NVivo. Teachers were also asked to reflect on specific instances that had shaped the direction of their musical outlook by completing a Musical Career Path questionnaire. It was observed that their experiences fell into three strands, namely musical, teacher-education, and professional teaching. The influence of these strands on the teachers' thinking is discussed in four sections that refer to a four-fold framework outlined from the literature review: their perceptions of (a) creative pupils, (b) an environment that fosters creativity, (c) the creative process, and (d) creative musical products. Data analyses indicate that the most influential strand is 'musical'. Participants with composing experience and practical knowledge of different music styles were more articulate at describing the environment for creativity and how this might be assessed in pupils' work. Educational implications based on these findings are considered in the conclusion.