Section 1: Designing Quality Research in Mathematics Education
1. Denise Spangler and Steve Williams ^
Theoretical Frameworks: What Are They, Where Do You Find Them, and What Do You Do With Them?
In this chapter we will 1) discuss the purposes and uses of theoretical frameworks, including how they affect data collection and analysis; 2) discuss how theoretical frameworks are found or built; 3) distinguish different types of frameworks (epistemological, conceptual, theoretical); and 4) provide some examples of the use of frameworks in the literature.
2. Dan Siebert ^
Conducting a Literature Search
A chapter on how to conduct a literature search in a timely manner, including such issues as where to start, how to gather sources, how to identify which sources to read, how to draw upon the expertise of mentors and advisors, how to bound the literature search, how to manage ideas and findings, and how to know when to stop.
3. Carolyn Maher ^
Developing a Research Program
I would like to address the establishment of a research program, over time, attending to the issues of developing a community of researchers, funding, and shifts in focus as new knowledge suggests attention to new ideas. Our research program, now in its 4th decade, with longitudinal and cross-sectional studies, has produced a collection of video and related metadata that is now available open source, worldwide. Opportunities for sharing data will be explored.
4. Doug Clements & Julie Sarama ^
Relationships between Research and Development: How Can We Study Curricula?
Evaluation of mathematics curricula should move beyond weak claims that a given curriculum is “research-based” and even “horse-race” comparisons to research and development (R&D) in which curriculum creation and research are integrated at each of several phases. We describe the opportunities and approaches of such an approach from the phase of planning a curriculum through large scale-up efforts.
5. Paola Sztajn ^
Securing External Funding
Quality research in mathematics education has become more complex, often involving several partners and different stakeholders. In these scenarios, it is important to secure external resources to support your research. In this chapter, I share insights about the grant writing and review processes to help you be more competitive when designing your research and writing your proposal.
6. Eva Thanheiser ^
Developing a Research Program in the Context of Conducting Research in Your Own Classroom
In this chapter I reflect on how I designed and enacted a research program in the context of teaching university preservice elementary teachers. I discuss the cyclical nature of such a research program where each research project lays the foundation for the following ones. I also discuss how to build collaborative research programs with other researchers interested in similar research.
Section 2: Conducting Quality Research in Mathematics Education
7. David Stinson ^
Philosophical Considerations Always Already Entangled in (Mathematics Education) Research
In this chapter, the author explores how research (mathematics education or otherwise) is always already entangled with the ontological, epistemological, and ethical considerations—that is the philosophical considerations—of the researcher (or research team) from beginning to end. The danger in too much of the existing mathematics education research, however, is a limited understanding of how these philosophical considerations drive both knowledge production and dissemination in the field. “Practical” descriptions of ontology, epistemology, and ethics are provided, as well as a discussion of how the field might better prepare future mathematics education researchers in understanding this crucial philosophical component of the research process.
8. Robert Capraro , Ali Bicer , Yujin Lee , Katherine Vela ^
Putting the Quantitative Pieces Together to Maximize the Possibilities for a Successful Project
In this chapter, the authors explore how research (mathematics or other STEM Disciplines) requires several sequential and coordinated steps. Even when these steps are executed well, it does not guarantee data that warrant publication. However, sometimes high-quality data are under analyzed or not reported which minimize the chances for publication. This chapter provides an overview of: 1) the philosophical and theoretical considerations leading up to undertaking a quantitative study, 2) the development of the research team, 3) study development and execution to minimize threats to validity and maximize score reliability, 4) data handling, 5) data analytic choices, and 6) best reporting strategies. Furthermore, hints and tips are provided to assist in handling editor and reviewer comments.
9. Marty Simon ^
Qualitative Data Analysis
My chapter would be on what is involved in analyzing qualitative data. The thrust would be on helping novices understand that an analysis process affords the researcher the opportunity to glean things from the data that they could not get from repeated viewing of the data. I will discuss the fact that many studies lack such analysis and are more akin to what a reporter does than what a researcher does. I will explain how qualitative analysis is generally an iterative process and give examples.
10. Jere Confrey ^
Building and Running a Research Team Using Agile Methodologies
One thing I learned spending some time working at Amplify as their Chief Math Officer was how to run an agile development team, which is a term used in software development to compare to waterfall development, which is top down. It involves how you work with both research staff, software/UX engineers, and grad students to design, build and research software. I will also talk about licensing and start-ups. The advantage of such an approach is to share decision making, be sure you are all making progress constantly and to work more collaboratively on complicated projects.
11. Brent Davis ^
Going Where Your Research Takes You
The chapter will include such aspects as “more listening than looking,” “adapting the orienting questions to fit the emerging answers,” and “having the patience not to rush a report until the insights have coalesced, in spite of pressures to publish.” It will be tied in with some explicit discussion of the sometimes-uncomfortable-but-always necessary partnership of empirical and interpretive research methods and attitudes.
12. Signe Kastberg < skastber@purdue.edu>
Constructing Visions of Quality in Mathematics Education Research
Producing quality research in mathematics education is a joyful and challenging pursuit. Changes you experience in your life, ideas, and collaborators can result in intellectual and emotional variation. Such changes produce an exciting dynamic environment that can make visions of quality elusive. Other researchers’ views may often seem more thoughtful and coherent than your own. Yet quality mathematics education research comes as a result of collaborations with your views of others’ ideas rather than being subsumed by them. In an effort to produce quality research in mathematics education managing evolving perspectives of who you are, who you want to be, in the context of what you want to know, and the ideas of others, informs your thoughts and their creation. In this chapter, I discuss two factors involved in producing quality research in mathematics education: navigating the role of the self and engaging with others. These factors have the potential to motivate patience and persistence in a quest for quality, while also informing creativity and meaning making.
Section 3: Publishing Quality Research in Mathematics Education
13. Keith Leatham ^
The Role of Theoretical Frameworks in Research Dissemination
Based on my experience as a reviewer and, in particular, as a member of an editorial panel, I discuss six principles related to the role of theoretical frameworks in research dissemination. My purpose in articulating and sharing these principles is to help us all think about how we can better communicate the theoretical framing of our work to those who will read it.
14. Sandra Crespo and Jinfa Cai ^
Writing as Communicating with Reviewers / Strategies for Anticipating and Addressing Skeptical Reviewers
Scientific studies in general and mathematics education research in particular do not contribute to a larger body of knowledge until they are widely disseminated and subjected to professional scrutiny by peers. This chapter will discuss the processes of this collaborative and public critique. In particular this chapter will discuss how reviewers are selected as well as what reviewers usually are looking for when they review a manuscript. Common issues that reviewers raise about unsuccessful manuscripts can be characterized as (a) distrust of the claims and evidence, (b) unclear about the contributions to the field, and (c) surprise that relevant literature is not cited. After illustrating these issues, I share strategies that prospective authors can use to anticipate and address these issues when preparing or revising their manuscripts.
15. Lyn English ^
Removing Obstacles to Quality Research Publishing
My aim would be to point out pitfalls early career researchers can face in developing quality journal articles and book chapters, and offer suggestions for avoiding these obstacles. I envision targeting the following aspects: · Choosing an appropriate journal: Here, I would mention the different genres in mathematics education publications, with a focus on research journals, professional journals, and book chapters (including different requirements of some Handbooks);
· Selecting and transforming components of a dissertation into manuscripts for publication in a journal and as a book chapter;
· The roles of core aspects of a research journal publication: Aspects to be covered would include literature review, theoretical framework, research questions, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusions/limitations.
16. Peter Liledahl ^
How to Write Up Research for Publication
I will lay out a clear description of the different parts of an article, what each part's purpose is, and how they weave together. Along the way I will discuss common errors that authors make that either befuddle the reader, encourage rejection, or both.
17. Merrilyn Goos ^
Publishing for international impact in mathematics education research journals
The conduct and dissemination of mathematics education research is an international concern. Yet new researchers in our field often struggle to frame and communicate their research so that it is relevant and accessible to an international audience. This chapter will share an international journal editor’s expectations for publishable manuscripts, elaborating in particular on what is required to show that the manuscript makes an original and significant contribution to knowledge. The chapter will explore ways in which researchers can situate their work within a broader international landscape without losing sight of the local context that motivates the study.
18. Gwen Lloyd ^
Revising and Resubmitting—Building on Rejection
I would draw on my observations from my editorial roles in mathematics education journals (JMTE, JRME) and in the broader field of education (RER, JTE), although I would use examples and illustrations specific to research manuscripts in mathematics education. I would include guidance about:
· how to read and understand decision letters, the vast majority of which are not “accepts”;
· what to do with a rejected manuscript;
· how to read and learn from peer reviews;
· how to revise a manuscript (substantially, rather than superficially);
· how to write a productive response to the editor's and reviewers’ comments; and
· how to see a manuscript through the revision process to acceptance. In the course of providing guidance, I would try to help authors understand the editor’s (and reviewers’) perspective and goals for the journals and the field.
19. Robert Q. Berry ^
Critical Mathematics Education Scholars: Publishing your Work when Mathematics Education does not see your Work as Mathematics Education
Many of the journals considered as top-tier in mathematics education do not have long histories of reporting research that foregrounds issues of race, gender, identity, agency, and critical issues in mathematics education. Too often emerging critical mathematics education scholars are positioned as navigating narrow spaces of what senior colleagues, reviewers, and many in the field define as mathematics education. So, it would be a case of applying too narrow of a standard to judge scholars doing particular kinds of work on whether they publish only in the “top” mathematics education journals. It is quite often the case that other journals (not mathematics education) are spaces to publish critical work because they offer the opportunity to reach a broader and different audience or because the impact of an article appearing in these journals is likely to be greater. This chapter is a reflection of my journey as a critical mathematics education scholar navigating spaces to publish my work in top-tier mathematics education journals as well as publishing in spaces open to issues of race, gender, identity, and agency. The chapter offers a lens to emerging scholars on how one might navigate the space between mathematics education and critical scholarship.
