THREE TYPES OF RESEARCH CONTRIBUTIONS
As CIES has grown larger, more diverse, and more inclusive of participants who work beyond academia, a uniform or “one size fits all” set of guidelines ill-suits many contributors. While there are no rigid boundaries between different types of research, proposal submitters for CIES 2019 will be asked to indicate which type of research best describes their contribution to the conference program: (I) applied research, (II) conceptual/theoretical research, or (III) empirical research.
Type I: Applied Research
Applied research refers to a report on a project or program intervention which demonstrates relevance to the field of comparative and international education, the conference theme, and/or the focus of a CIES Committee or Special Interest Group (SIG). Proposals for presentations of applied research should clearly describe the needs or problems that the given project or program intervention address. Authors should consider what advice they can offer to or seek from the CIES audience, as well as how the project/program might address similar challenges in other contexts. Considerations for applied research should include the impact of the project on the problems targeted, how the project’s impact is assessed, and what might be done differently in future interventions (see rubric below).
Type II: Conceptual/Theoretical Research
Conceptual or theoretical research offers a critique of literature, a program, or an institution relevant to the field of comparative and international education, the conference theme, and/or the focus of a CIES Committee or Special Interest Group (SIG). Proposals for presentations of conceptual/theoretical research should review past literature for diverse perspectives and build on existing work. Theoretical contributions should be situated with respect to geopolitical, national, and/or linguistic contexts and consider implications for future practice, policy, or theory. Authors should reflect on the originality of their own contribution to consider how new knowledge is produced and why it is important to gain such insight.
Type III: Empirical Research
Empirical research offers an evidence-based qualitative, quantitative, and/or historical analysis relevant to the field of comparative and international education, the conference theme, and/or the focus of a CIES Committee or Special Interest Group (SIG). Proposals should include a theoretical framework to guide central research questions as well as methods of data collection and analysis. Conclusions should be drawn in relation to evidence collected as part of the research. Authors should reflect on the originality of their own contribution to consider how new knowledge is produced and why it is important to gain such insight.
REVIEW RUBRIC
Reviewers will evaluate proposals according to slightly different criteria for each type of research contribution. Please note the questions to be addressed in proposal summaries for each specific research type:
Proposals for each specific research type are evaluated on a four-point scale according to five criteria (A, B, C, D, E) that correspond to questions to be addressed in proposal summaries (as denoted in the CIES 2019 Call for Contributions). Reviewers will assign scores based on how adequately the questions are addressed, depending on the type(s) of research:
How adequately are the questions addressed (depending on the type(s) of research)?
4 = Very adequately
3 = Adequately
2 = Somewhat adequately
1 = Inadequately
Please note that group submissions (“Formal Panel Session” or “Refereed Round-Table Session”) may consist of individual papers that represent more than one research type. In such cases, reviewers will do their best to interpret the rubric holistically across columns.