Common Guidelines for Education Research and Development - A Report from the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education and the National Science Foundation - August 2013

Oct 15, 2026

Cross-agency guidelines establish common standards to improve the quality, coherence, and pace of knowledge development through education research and development. A Joint Committee formed by the U.S. Department of Education and the National Science Foundation extends STEM-focused work to other content areas supported by ED. The report organizes research types, explains how knowledge is generated across complex connections among methods, and provides table-based guidance for research purposes, justification, evidence production, and external feedback plans.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages53

Reading Time2 h 14 min

AccessFree to download

Preface

Members of the Joint Committee

Introduction

A Cross-Agency Project

Types of Research

Knowledge Generation and the Complex Connections among Research Types

Conclusion

References Consulted by the Joint Committee

Appendix A

Examples of Research Types

Appendix B

Common Guidelines, by Research Type

Common Guidelines for Education Research and Development A Report from the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education and the National Science Foundation August 2013 Contents Tables ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Preface.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Members of the Joint Committee ...................................................................................................................................... 6 Introduction............................................................................................................................................................................... 7 A Cross-Agency Project .................................................................................................................................................... 8 Types of Research............................................................................................................................................................... 8 Knowledge Generation and the Complex Connections among Research Types ....................................10 Introduction to Tables .................................................................................................................................................... 11 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................................................ 24 References Consulted by the Joint Committee .......................................................................................................... 25 Appendix A: Illustrative Research Projects Funded by the Department of Education or the National Science Foundation............................................................................................................................................................... 27 Examples of Research Types........................................................................................................................................ 27 Research Type: Foundational Research .................................................................................................................. 27 Research Type: Early-Stage or Exploratory Research....................................................................................... 29 Research Type: Design and Development .............................................................................................................. 31 Crossing the Boundaries of Design and Development and Early Efficacy Research ............................33 Research Type: Efficacy Study..................................................................................................................................... 35 Research Type: Effectiveness Study ......................................................................................................................... 39 Research Type: Scale-up Study ...................................................................................................................................41 Appendix B: Common Guidelines, by Research Type............................................................................................43 Tables Table 1: Purpose of Foundational, Early-Stage or Exploratory, and Design and Development Research Studies .................................................................................................................................................................... 12 Table 2: Purpose of Studies that Assess the Impact of Education Interventions and Strategies .........14

FAQs

Who developed the cross-agency education research and development guidelines?

A Joint Committee of representatives from the U.S. Department of Education and the National Science Foundation developed the guidelines.

What was the initial focus of the committee before expanding to other areas?

The committee began with research in STEM education, then recognized broader applicability to other content areas funded by ED.

What key research components does the report address through tables?

The report provides table-based guidance on research purposes, justification, evidence to be produced, and plans for external feedback.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by WPS_1786070896