Methodological considerations in family, school, and community partnership research

Methodological decisions play a pivotal yet perhaps underappreciated role that begins with planning how to conduct a study but reverberates to the efforts and effects of partnerships implemented beyond them. This chapter identifies these decisions and discusses their consequences, gearing both toward the broad audience of scholars in family, school, or community partnership research. It provides a methodological framework partnership researchers can consider when designing a study: the creation of a validity argument and development of a validation plan. The chapter recognizes that researchers have numerous theoretical perspectives and conceptual models from which they may view or evaluate research. It provides guidance for choosing and implementing methodological options organized around the main components of a Method section. The chapter highlights hidden hurdles of conducting partnership research and provides starting points to proactively address them based on best practices.