Research Philosophy

How We Approach Research

Our lab conducts quantitative and mixed methods research in chemistry education. Our work is informed by QuantCrit, which asks us to examine how data, categories, measurements, and analytical decisions shape what we know about people and their experiences.

We use quantitative methods because they can help us identify patterns, examine relationships, and study educational experiences across groups and settings. At the same time, numbers do not speak for themselves. The way data are collected, the categories used to organize them, and the decisions made during analysis all influence the conclusions we draw. We pay attention to what our data can tell us, what they cannot, and whose experiences may not be adequately represented.

This perspective shapes the questions we think are worth asking about chemistry education, not only how we handle data once we have it. It influences how we design studies, work with data, interpret findings, and communicate research.

Principles that guide our work

01

Documenting research decisions

Research involves many decisions, from defining a question to deciding how to handle missing data. We document decisions that could affect the design, analysis, or interpretation of a study. A decision is worth recording if a reader could reasonably expect us to have made it differently, or if we would struggle to reconstruct our reasoning six months later. Excluding fourteen cases is one of those decisions. Choosing a font is not.

02

Reproducible research

We organize our work so that analyses can be reviewed and repeated. Data, analysis files, and outputs are kept separate, procedures are documented, and results are generated by code wherever possible. This matters inside the lab as much as outside it. It helps when a colleague picks up a project and when we return to our own work months or years later.

03

Reflexivity throughout the research process

Our perspectives and experiences influence the questions we ask and how we interpret evidence. We examine those influences throughout a study rather than treating reflexivity as something to address when writing the paper. Questions about who could participate belong with recruitment, not in a paragraph at the end. We try to ask each question at the point where it still changes what we do.

04

Responsible care of research data

Our research involves students, instructors, and other members of educational communities, and we are responsible for protecting their privacy. Identifiable data stays on approved storage, access is limited to people named on the protocol, and data are de-identified before analysis. These practices follow our approved research protocols, institutional requirements, and applicable privacy protections, including FERPA when student education records are involved. Everyone handling research data is expected to understand and follow these requirements.

From research questions to findings

Research rarely follows a perfectly linear path. A study may change as we learn more about the setting, examine the data, or reconsider our original questions. We use a common process to organize the work and make sure important decisions are documented. The steps give structure, and we return to earlier ones when the research calls for it.

  1. 01Framing the research problemIdentifying the problem, reviewing relevant literature, considering positionality and theoretical frameworks, and developing research questions.
  2. 02Designing the studySelecting methods, developing or choosing measures, determining the sampling approach, preparing IRB materials, and establishing a data management plan.
  3. 03Collecting dataCarrying out data collection procedures, documenting consent and participation, and keeping records of how the data were obtained.
  4. 04Organizing and protecting dataEstablishing file structures, naming conventions, storage procedures, and appropriate access permissions.
  5. 05Preparing and documenting dataReviewing data quality, screening and cleaning, documenting missing information, and preparing codebooks and analysis files.
  6. 06Analyzing dataConducting quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods analyses that address the research questions.
  7. 07Integrating and interpreting findingsBringing together evidence from different sources, examining where findings agree or differ, and considering what conclusions the evidence supports.
  8. 08Archiving and transferring project knowledgeOrganizing project records, documenting procedures, following data retention requirements, and making sure others can continue the work when responsibilities change.
  9. 09Sharing research findingsPreparing manuscripts, conference presentations, reports, and other research products, while considering how findings can inform educational practice.

Lab culture

Research is collaborative work. We want the lab to be a place where people can ask questions, share ideas, learn from one another, and contribute to projects in meaningful ways. We value collaboration over competition, and the work of a research group depends on the contributions of its members.

We encourage open communication and constructive feedback. People should feel comfortable asking for clarification, raising concerns, disagreeing with an interpretation, or suggesting a different approach. We do not expect everyone to have the same perspective. We do expect people to engage with one another respectfully and take feedback seriously.

We are committed to maintaining a research environment free from discrimination and harassment. Members of the lab should be able to participate, develop their interests, and pursue their professional goals without having to hide important parts of who they are. People enter research with different experiences, responsibilities, and goals, and we aim to support their development as researchers and colleagues.

Influences and acknowledgments

We did not develop these ideas in isolation. Our approach to research organization, mentoring, and lab culture has been informed by research groups and scholars who shared their practices publicly. We are grateful to these researchers for making their approaches available and for encouraging other research groups to think more deliberately about how they work. A research group’s practices should keep developing through experience and discussion.