Using an Equity Lens to Design your Research

by Julie A. Edmunds, CTE Research Network Equity Working Group

---

For researchers interested in incorporating equity into their work, it all starts at the very beginning with designing the study. The Equity Working Group from the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Research Network has created the Equity Framework for CTE Research, a guide on how to infuse equity throughout the research process. Although the framework focuses on CTE research, the suggestions can be incorporated into any type of social science research.

The framework recommends that, in the design phase, equity-focused researchers should: (a) develop an understanding of the context and the community to be studied, (b) be transparent about the motivation and assumptions that underlie the project, and (c) incorporate equity-focused research questions.

Developing an understanding of the context and community. All research takes place within a specific context and understanding that context is extremely important. As noted in the framework, “A good first step is to involve members of the community affected by the research in the design process, whether by collecting data through a needs assessment or establishing an advisory panel.” Understanding how the community perceives what you have been studying will help inform researchers’ thinking as they design their study; community input will also help in various aspects of the design process.

Being transparent about motivation and assumption. All research requires making a series of choices (e.g., selection of topic, research questions, data collection instruments, analysis strategies), even in the most theoretically objective studies. These choices are driven by a variety of factors—researchers’ backgrounds, community needs, funder expectations, etc. Being transparent about these decisions is a key aspect of equity. We All Count, a project focused on equity in data science, recommends creating a “motivation touchstone” that explicitly lays out a project’s goal, any restrictions (e.g., funding, timeline) that accompany the project, and any rewards that might accrue as a result of the project (personal benefits that researchers get or benefits that an organization might get). The team can share this touchstone with others and should revisit it throughout the research process.  

Incorporating equity-focused questions.  Research studies should include at least some questions that emphasize equity. These questions can seek to understand the experiences of different individuals. For example, girls and young women participate in certain aspects of CTE programming at much lower levels than boys and young men do. Thus, the research questions could include a focus on issues of gender and factors that might encourage or discourage girls and women from participating.

Additionally, researchers should consider where the onus for change resides in their research questions or study design. For example, questions or research goals framed as “increasing the level of participation in CTE programming among economically disadvantaged students to the level of not-economically disadvantaged students” communicate an implicit expectation that economically disadvantaged students should change their behavior is some way. On the other hand, research questions or goals focused on “exploring factors that keep economically disadvantaged from participating in CTE programming” recognize that there are systemic issues that might be leading to differences in outcomes. A research question with the latter focus is more likely to provide insights that can change outcomes. 

Each section of the framework also includes questions that researchers can ask themselves as they are doing their research. Below are questions researchers may want to ask themselves during the design phase:

• Do the research questions reflect the experiences, input, and perspectives of the impacted community? To what extent can the research team involve members of the impacted community in developing the research questions?

• Are the terms in the project goals and research questions clearly defined? Has the team explicitly stated all the assumptions present in the goal and research questions?

• What opportunities (in the context being studied) are available to highlight barriers faced by populations that have been historically underserved or marginalized?

• How can the research questions move beyond the impact on subgroups to look at the conditions that might be causing those impacts? Can the research questions explore system- or institution-level factors that might result in disparities in impact?

By incorporating an equity approach into the design phase of the projects, researchers will be in stronger position to investigate and learn about the structural barriers to participation in CTE or other programs and to effective outcomes for all groups of learners.  

---

More Methodspace posts about diversity, equity, and inclusion